The Fourth Quarter Quell, Unprepared and Unfair
by Amially
Summary: "This year, for the fourth Quarter Quell, to show to the Districts that they are not prepared for the amazing forces of the Capitol, tributes will have no training or interviewing before entering the games," the President's voice boomed out for all of Panem to hear. OCs, not SYOT.
1. The Beginning

**The Hunger Games is originally written by Suzanne Collins, under the publisher Scholastic Press.**

**I do not own the Hunger Games.**

Klara stirred, feeling the cool morning breeze that greeted her at the start of every day. With her eyes still closed, she reached down to pull her blankets higher but felt only a rough, unfamiliar fabric covering her thigh.

Her eyes fluttered open quickly taking in the scene around her. She was not in bed, but in the forest. Sitting up quickly she tried to place herself, maybe she had hit her head at work and no one had noticed her small frame lying in the ferns.

Ferns? No, there were no ferns on her logging route.

And what could she make of her outfit? A bright red, long sleeved shirt with a plunging neckline and loose, rough black pants that reached an inch past her toes, she didn't own anything like this.

Glancing down, Klara noticed something else, around her neck was a small silver key, the Capitol's seal etched into it above a small number 7.

That's when the memories started flooding back. It was a month before the Reaping and Klara was at home, cuddled in one of District 7's many log cabins, in front of her television. An ancient President Snow slithered onto the stage, a small box clutched in his hands. Many people rumor that to stay alive so long, he's had the organs transplanted to him from innocent District children. It was the year of the fourth Quarter Quell and it was tradition for the president to read aloud the special rules that this year's Hunger Games would abide by.

"This year, for the fourth Quarter Quell, to show to the districts that they are not prepared for the amazing forces of the capitol, tributes will have no training or interviewing before entering the games," the President's voice boomed out for all of Panem to hear. Klara's family exchanged nervous glances, but none were as nervous as her.

Klara's family was made up of her strongly-built father, brother, and sister, as well as her and her mother. Klara's mother was short and skinny and Klara was the only one of her siblings who inherited her shape.

Both of Klara's siblings were in their 20s, they did not need to worry about the reaping, but 15 year old Klara was shaking. She knew that if she were ever picked, she would need all the training she could get and the reading of this card just destroyed that possibility. Her family seemed aware of this too, not making eye contact with her and trying their hardest to hide their feelings of fear and empathy.

On the day of the reaping, Klara didn't eat anything. She was always extremely nervous at the Reapings, but this year, being a Quarter Quell, promised even worse horrors than in other Hunger Games.

That was why, when District 7's escort Darvin Hallings called her name, Klara Hallen had nearly fainted.

Remembering where she was, Klara glanced around nervously. The forest was quiet, the other tributes were also probably just waking, realizing in horror where they were.

Right behind her head Klara noticed something that was definitely different from in other years. What seemed to be two mini-versions of the Hunger Game's famous cornucopia rested behind her. Both had small doors with locks on them and shone in the sunlight. Upon further inspection, one of the door's had been opened and the contents cleared out from inside.

Instinctively, Klara jammed key around her neck into the other Cornucopia's lock and turned it until she heard a satisfying click. Heart pounding, she opened the door and found a small brown pack, a knife she guessed to be about 8 inches long and a bundle of rope. Inside the pack was a container of dried meat, and a second of dried fruit, a metal bottle for carrying water, matches, and a kit for purifying water.

Klara pulled the pack high up on her back, coiled the rope and slung it over her shoulder. She decided that holding the knife would be the best idea, in case she came across a rival.

_ A rival_. This was real, if it came down to it, she would have to kill someone.

Back home Klara's father ran a small logging operation. His only employees were Klara and her siblings as well as their cousins. Klara was more of a gopher, she communicated messages back and forth for people because she was never very strong. Although, this did give her a good awareness of the forest. Klara could identify different trees and plants, including which ones were edible and could be used as medicine. She knew how to walk quietly in the forest and tell what time it was using the sun.

Fortunately as she explored her surroundings some more, Klara noticed that this forest was almost identical to the one that covered almost all of District 7.

Klara smirked, the Capitol tried to make it so they weren't prepared, but in this location Klara was almost the most prepared as she possibly could be.

The water bottle she found was empty, so Klara decided the first thing she must do is find water. She recalled that water is almost always found downhill and noticed the ground was declining slightly to the west.

_Well here we go,_ she mouthed, took a deep breath and made her way into the woods.

As she kept going, she started to feel more relaxed. Birds and crickets starting making their songs, comforting her momentarily. The plants in the forest were all a bright green and a good mix between coniferous and deciduous, just like the woods her father logged it. The occasional flower poked its way out of the ferns that seemed to cover nearly the entire forest floor. Klara was wary of the flowers, recalling that some years even the smell of the flowers can be deadly.

The only thing that seemed to be missing was the other tributes.

She didn't even know what she was up against. Districts 1, 2, and 4 were predictable. They would be large, mean, and more than capable with weapons. But the other districts were a mystery. What if this year there had been a fluke where all of those chosen were strong, confident, and deadly?

She was so lost in thought that she hadn't noticed the others. First there was a glint of light from a miniature cornucopia at her feet, then a shuffle of leaves to her left, and finally hot breath on the back of her neck.


	2. Head Start

The girl's green eye's showed confusion and surprise more than anything else. Her pupils grew smaller, revealing a small circle of orange in the center of the iris that matched the colour of her poofy, red hair. She never looked down at the knife that Klara had accidentally lodged deep in the base of her neck, just took a couple shaky breaths and coughed, spattering her lips with her own blood.

The girl's knee's buckled and Klara let go of her knife's handle, letting her body fall to the ground. A cannon boom echoed, making the birds in nearby trees take to the air.

Klara felt paralyzed, she couldn't believe what had just happened. She had whipped around quickly, holding her knife out. The girl had been right behind her and taken Klara's knife right in her throat. She was about Klara's height, but built with more muscle.

Slowly, as if she were trying not to wake her, Klara turned the lifeless body over so that she lay on her back. She was extremely pail with freckles dotting her cheek bones. Klara guessed her to be about 13, but tall for her age. She was wearing the same outfit as Klara except her shirt was a royal blue. She didn't have any weapons on her, so she must not have opened her cornucopia yet.

Gently, Klara found the silver chain around the girl's neck with her key on it. Turning it over in her hands, Klara saw the girl was from District 4. That explained why she was so fit, the tributes from District 4 were traditionally very large as they were well fed, living on the sea. Klara removed the key and turned towards where she saw the Cornucopia before.

This girl wouldn't be needing its contents, so Klara might as well take them.

Just when she was crouching down by the first cornucopia, she noticed another person lying in the ferns. He wasn't dead, because Klara could make out the slow movements of his muscular chest. Quickly, she tucked her long, black hair behind her ears and opened the cornucopia, emptying its contents. She didn't have time to look through all of them, but from first glance, the supplies were identical to hers.

Klara stashed everything except for the knife behind a nearby tree, and lunged for the boy, quickly taking his key as well and opening his cornucopia.

She had just piled his supplies with the girl's when the boy began to stir, opening his eyes from his drug-induced sleep.

"Don't move," Klara threatened, a knife in each hand. A look of confusion crossed his face until his eyes turned to her knives. Then, Klara watched his expressions as everything came back to him.

The boy was huge he had to be 17 or 18, his arms easily the size of Klara's calves. His large, strong chest turned into an equally muscular neck which gave way to a strong jaw line and thin, red lips. His eyes were dark blue-grey and his coal coloured eyelashes were long and thick. Making a thin covering on his head was his dark brown hair, it was buzzed extremely short. Klara couldn't help but noticed how his hairstyle made his cheek bones look sharp and prominent.

To her surprise, the boy looked scared. His eyes flashed over to the dead girl lying in a pool of her own blood.

"Did you kill her?" The boy finally croaked, he had a deep, smooth voice.

"Yes. And I can kill you too," Klara replied, praying that he couldn't hear how much her voice was shaking.

"I don't think you will," Klara was surprized by his gutsy answer.

"What makes you think that?"

"You're not a killer," he said. When Klara didn't respond, he continued, "You didn't even take your knife out of her neck."

Klara blinked. She couldn't bring herself to pull her knife out, she knew at some point she would need it, but as long as she was close to the body a hovercraft wouldn't come pick her up, taking her knife with her.

Finally, she responded, "I'm from 7. I know the forest," Klara guessed the boy was from District four, because he wore the same royal blue shirt as the girl she killed "You're from four. You're strong. We need each other."

"I agree," he nodded towards the corpse on the ground, "She was my district partner. Don't worry, I didn't know her, all I know was her name was Katerina Bennet. I'm Aven Clark."

Katerina Bennet, she rolls the name around her mind. She killed Katerina Bennet.

"Klara Hallen," She told him.

"Well, Klara, can I move now?"

"Yes," She said with a giggle.

Aven stands up to reveal that his real size is even grander than first apparent. He's easily six feet and Klara's head only comes to his shoulders. He walks slowly over to Katerina and unceremoniously removes the knife from her neck, then wipes the blood off it on some nearby moss.

"Where'd you get all the knives?" Aven asks.

"The mini-cornucopias," Klara says with a gesture downward, "There's one next to each Tribute." All of a sudden she realizes, Katerina and Aven were beside each other, but she woke up alone.

"Where's your District partner?" Aven inquired.

"I don't know…"

"Well you and Kate were awake before me, probably because you're smaller, maybe the anesthetic wears off quicker the smaller you are," he decides.

"Then that means my district mate must be smaller than me," Klara continues. Blurry memories begin to surface from the Reaping, "I remember making my way onstage, and then hearing a name and a small boy who could have only been 12 with lots of blond curls coming on stage beside me."

"He must have run off quickly," Aven concludes, "I don't blame him. So, uh, where's the stuff from my cornucopia?"

Klara lead him behind the tree where she stashed his and Kate's things, "I haven't checked through the packs yet, but the rope and knives are identical to mine."

We leaf through the packs and find, sure enough, one pack of dried meat, dried fruit, an empty water bottle, and water purifying kit, each.

"Well if there's a water purifying kit that means there has to be water somewhere, so we should probably start by looking for that," Aven decides. He throws two packs on his back as well as a coil of rope on each shoulder, then directs his attention to the three knives Klara was holding, "If we're allies we're going to have to trust each other."

Klara handed over two knives, figuring that if they ran into a trap it would be good for Aven to have a knife to throw and one for more close combat.

Just then, two cannon shots rand through the air.

"Someone probably found a set of tributes still asleep," Klara says. It wasn't necessary to continue explaining.

"If they were still asleep, then they would have to be pretty big."

Klara smiled, waking up first gave smaller tributes a huge advantage, that is if they had the guts to kill any sleeping tributes they came across. She wondered if her district partner had killed anyone with his head start, and then quickly shook away the thought. Her pint-sized district partner didn't kill her and she had as much relation to him as any other tribute, if he had the guts to kill anyone else, he would have killed her too.

The sun was almost straight up in the sky, signalling it was around mid-day.

"Well, Klara Hallen, I guess we should start out, we seem to have lost what little of a head start I woke up with," Aven said as he took a step forward.

Klara paused before she followed. Aven seemed smart and he was clearly a physical threat. But most of all, he seemed sincere. Putting aside any fears, she decided to trust him, whether it was a foolish decision or not, only time would tell.


	3. Eyes

They had walked for hours and still there was no sign of water. The same tree, plants, and rocks kept moving by; in fact the only thing that had changed was the temperature. The day was slowly getting warmer and more humid, so humid that the ground beneath their feet was growing soft.

Two more cannons had gone off in that time, both with a fair time distance between them, it was safe to say that everyone was awake now and more than ready to fight.

"We're not going to get far without water in this heat," Aven said exactly what Klara was thinking.

"I agree," Klara wiped the sweat off her forehead. All of a sudden, she got an idea to get some sponsers, she needed to do everything she could to make the crowd like her, since she missed that crucial time at the Capitol.

"Aven, this is going to sound kind of weird," she began, "But would you mind cutting my hair? It's making me really hot. As short as possible is its okay."

There. People in the capitol would be cringing, beauty in the capitol was almost as important as oxygen, they would find her willingness to sacrifice her hair admirable and hopefully want to sponsor her.

"Uh, yeah, it does sound weird, but okay, I guess," Aven replied tentitively. Klara sat down on a rock and Aven pulled out one of his knives. Slowly he cut off large chunk of her straight, black hair. He collected it in a pocket of one of the packs and continued until her hair was just an inch or two longer than his.

She ruffled up her new hairstyle with her fingers, the back of her neck already feeling lighter and cooler, "If you don't mind me asking, why did you keep my hair?"

"Well I think the best strategy for us now is to stay hidden and what is someone going to think if they come across a big pile of hair?"

"True, I didn't think of that. Thanks so much by the way, it feels a lot better," Klara smiled, all the women in the Capitol probably had their mouths open so wide that their jaws hit the floor.

"It's funny; I'm not hungry at all, are you?" Aven asked.

"No, it might be the heat, but they probably stuffed us with all kinds of simulated nutrients before they threw us in here."

"Well I guess we keep going then," they continued into the woods.

They kept walking until Klara noticed something she didn't expect. She brushed Aven's arm, getting him to stop, then crouched down by a patch of ferns.

Sitting on the ground were two golden cornucopias, just like the ones that Klara, Aven, and Katerina woke up beside. Neither of the doors had been unlocked and there was a scary pool of blood next to both. It was impossible to tell which district lay here, but it was clear that both Tributes had been killed; no human being could make that much blood by themself.

"It would take a lot of wounds to drain this much blood…" Klara said as her face went pale. Aven had a similar expression on his face, so they searched the surrounding grasses silently, looking for supplies or perhaps a key, but turned up nothing.

The sun was starting to get pretty low in the sky, turning the horizon a pale orange.

"Aven, I think we should find somewhere to sleep," Klara said.

"I was just about to say that," he returned with a smirk, "what do you suggest?"

Klara looked around at the treetops; she was a great tree climber, after years in the forest and asked, "How are you at climbing trees?"

"If I had ever tried then I would know."

"Well I guess we're just going to have to find out then."

In a couple minutes, Klara had found then perfect tree, it had a think trunk that split up into three heavily-branched sections. If she could get Aven up to that split they would be very well camouflaged.

"I'll climb up first, and then you can watch where I place my feet and follow me up," she decided. She scaled the tree quickly in the dimming light, starting to feel a bit woozy from her lack of water. The day was still fairly hot out, so at least she wouldn't need any blankets to keep warm.

Now it was Aven's turn, Klara worried about how some of the branches would hold up under his weight, but he seemed to have developed a system of pushing on the trunk with his legs, keeping most of his weight directed on the strong trunk.

Right when he reached the trunk, a cannon shot rang through the air, followed by another in a couple moments. The fact that Klara and Aven didn't know what other Tributes were out there made it even more terrifying to close their eyes and go to sleep.

"I'm starting to get a little hungry, we should probably have a little bit of food before we go to sleep," Aven broke the silence. Klara nodded, so opened up a pack of meat and gnawed on the bark-like meal.

"It's kind of upsetting that we never got to go to the Capitol," Avon said, his mouth still full, "If I had to go through all of this, I would at least want to try some of the Captiol's delicacies."

Klara laughed, then quickly quieted herself, remembering where she was. They settled down for the night, to Klara's surprise, Aven laid down right beside her, their arms touching. Her heart started pounding, to most it wouldn't seem like much, but she was about to sleep in a tree next to a boy, which was a change from her normally awkward encounters with boys.

It was then that the Capitol's anthem played and its seal appeared in the sky. Klara was stunned by the varying list of killed tributes. Both Tributes from District 1 were the first to appear, both looked strong, definitely eager to volunteer to participate in a Quarter Quell. They must have been killed before they woke up. Next was the girl from 4, Katerina Bennet, Klara had killed her accidentally. Both tributes from 5 were dead as well as the pair from 8, the boy from 11 and girl from 12. That was a total of 9 dead, but Klara had only heard 7 cannon shots. Two must have died before she was awake.

"It seems to me that someone who woke up very early went on quite the killing spree," Aven was the first to speak. There was no way of telling if he was right, but that seemed to be the most reasonable explanation for why so many pairs were dead.

"And we know that my district mate survived the day, maybe he's the one we should really be watching out for."

"I guess there's nothing we can do about it now, might as well get some rest," Aven said and he rolled over to go to sleep.

* * *

The sky was starting to get light when she woke up, head aching from the beginnings of dehydration. Klara was shocked that she had slept so long and well, but that wasn't the only thing she was shocked about.

Sitting on the branch directly across from her was the biggest mountain lion she had ever seen. Its eyes glowed green-yellow in the dawn light and she could just make out its tail swishing back and forth under the branch.

She reached for her knife that she had held in her hand when she fell asleep, but to her dismay, it had fallen out of reach onto the ground.

"Aven," she whispered, he had his back turned to her and was still sound asleep. She gently nudged him with her elbow and called his name again, but there was no response.

The cat slowly made its way towards her, slinking down the branch until it was almost on top of her.

A little more frantic now, she called again, "Aven! Aven please wake up! Oh my god, Aven!"

She didn't move, afraid the cat would pounce. It continued its slow creeping until its face was in line with hers, one front paw pinning down her elbow. Its hot breath made the hair on the back of her neck stand up and its eyes seemed to pierce into hers.

The monstrous cat's claws were beginning to poke holes in the bend of her elbow and Klara glanced down to see its paws. Its fingers were extremely long and included one finger higher on the paw that seemed to function more in the way that a human's thumb would. Each finger was decorated with a razor sharp claw as long as Klara's pinky finger.

And then there were the teeth, in the front, there were eight, long, pointed ones followed by molars, made for a lot of difficult chewing.

This beast wasn't just made for killing prey; it was made for eating it.

"Aven…" She managed one last whisper, her last hope at survival.

It was then that Aven exploded so quickly, Klara's finger nails dug into the tree's bark and in turn the cat dug its nails into her skin.

Aven lodged his knife into the cat's chest with such fury; you would have thought it had just made off with his brother. The cat turned and cried in pain before falling out of the tree with a crash and quickly running away.

Klara finally started breathing again, her heart racing at a mile per minute, but Aven still couldn't settle he simply stared straight into Klara's eyes.

"Your eyes," he finally managed.

"Excuse me?"

"It had your eyes, the cat. You and the cat have the same eyes," he leaned in close to her and, for a moment, Klara thought he was going to kiss her, but instead he said, "You smell like the cat too. I hope we find some water today, my head aching."

That was an understatement; Klara knew that if she were to function tomorrow, she NEEDED to find water. All of a sudden, her elbow began throbbing and she glanced down at it in pain.

Aven noticed this and gently cradled her arm pulling her sleeve past the elbow, "It's not bleeding too bad, but each mark is pretty deep, those claws were wicked."

"The teeth were even worse."

"Here," he said and pulled his shirt over his head, revealing a stomach covered in muscle. Klara's heart started racing again. Aven pulled out his remaining knife and cut off one of his sleeves, "It's hot enough that I won't be needing these."

He wrapped it slowly around her elbow and when she was finished, Klara had her own royal blue bandage.

"Thanks," she said with a hint of a smile.

"My pleasure. That cat was pretty loud, if anyone's in the area, they would have heard it for sure, we should get moving."

"I agree, but let's have a little bit of fruit first, breakfast is the most important mean of the day, after all," Klara said. They each had a small handful of fruit then made their way out of the tree.

Klara picked up her knife and stored it in her belt; she took the lead to continue the hunt for water.


	4. A New Ally

"I thought after yesterday they'd give us some relief from the heat," Aven started.

"I thought so too," Klara responded. They had been hiking all morning with no signs of anything; Tributes, mountain lions, or water. It was just as hot as yesterday, but less humid.

"Well, there haven't been any cannon shots, so if something doesn't happen soon, I'm worried the gamemakers are going to intervene."

"I hope not, one mutant mountain lion is enough."

"Is that what it's called? A mountain lion?" Aven shrugged, "I just thought it was a mutated house cat."

Klara laughed, "No, we have them back home, only they're not usually that vicious and of course those claws and teeth were a change."

"Yeah, I guess we don't have mountain lions by the sea, but we do have sharks. Ever heard of one of those?"

"No."

"Well, they're fish about as long as me with rows and rows of teeth just as sharp as that cat's."

"You're joking."

"I'm not, I swear! One of them killed my father, I don't joke about it," Aven's expression was more embarrassed than angry.

"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry. My uncle got pinned by a tree once, he went out by himself after everyone was finished working and brought me as a precaution. I wanted to run for help, but he said it was no use. I held his hand the whole time," Klara looked down.

Aven stopped, "That's exactly what happened to my father. He wanted to get a few more fish in so he could get me a present for my birthday. They refused to work on him at the hospital, it was 'a waste of resources.' I went to the career academy after that, there was nothing left for me at home."

Klara looked up, for a moment they just stared at each other, amazed with what they just shared until there was a scream, from ahead and a cannon shot filled the air. The both ran forward until they made it to a scarlet-stained clearing.

A boy laid on the ground, cuts scoring his chest, no doubt that cannon shot was for him. Another boy who stood almost as tall as Aven held a knife in each hand and made his way towards a third shape, crawling away from him on the ground.

"Stay here," Aven whispered, he grabbed the knife from Klara's hand and pushed his way out into the clearing.

The boy, just about to finish of his prey looked up, "Well, finally someone who might put up a little bit of a fight. Going to save the poor, helpless Tributes?" he sneered. He was wearing a dark brown shirt.

Aven didn't waste any time, he ran at the boy and plunged his first knife into his thigh. The boy screamed in pain and fell to the ground, swiping wildly with both hands. Aven was already behind him, safe from his knives.

"A little bit of a fight, huh?" was all Aven said when he plunged his knife into the boys back. The boy dropped his knives and coughed a few times, covering the front of his chest with blood.

For a moment, his eyes met Klara's. He had sad, forgiving eyes, whose emotions were only magnified by their beautiful blue colour. Then the boy tipped his head towards the sky and mouthed a couple words Klara couldn't make out.

The cannon went off and the boy fell to the ground, face first, into his own pool of blood.

Aven didn't waste any time, he grabbed the knife from the boys back and picked up the boys leg to get the one stuck in his thigh. He motioned for Klara to come forward, so she jogged out, picking up the two knives the boy was holding on the way. They both turned their attention to the third figure in the clearing.

It was a girl, no more than thirteen and definitely not a physical threat. She was wearing a grey shirt, same as the first boy who was killed and had shoulder-length blond hair and deep brown eyes.

"I know where to find water," her small voice squeaked out. Klara and Aven looked at each other.

"Where?" Aven boomed, it was clear he was trying to play the intimidation angle.

The girl glanced at his and Klara's knives before she spoke again, "I can take you there, I know about other tributes too, don't kill me and I'll tell you everything."

"Deal," Klara said, even just having water would be enough, the information on other tributes was a bonus. Aven helped the girl up, then removed her pack.

"Hey!" she shouted.

"We don't want you running off on us and you wouldn't do that without any supplies, would you?" Aven explained. The girl just looked down.

"My name's Sahara Dodds, I'm from District 3," she said, discouraged.

"I'm Klara, and this is Aven, I'm from 7 and he's from 4."

The trio walked over to the boy Aven had killed.

"He told us he was from District 10," Sahara said quietly. Aven removed his pack and began leafing through it.

"He's got no food or water in here," Aven announced.

"So either he got really hungry, or he's working with someone and they decided to hold all the food. I think that's probably more likely," Klara chimed in.

"I think I might have an idea of who, too," Sahara said, "Danis and I were hiding in a tree when we heard voices. Soon, two huge tributes were walking by, they had to be from District 2, we didn't attack them because we would obviously be over powered. I overheard that the girl's name was Kyah and the boy's was Jaxton, they would have accepted him into a Careers pack."

"Well, unfortunately, they didn't leave our friend here with much," Aven left the boy's pack with him, it would just be an unnecessary weight.

Next, the removed Danis' bag. Inside was everything Klara and Aven found in their cornucopias. Klara slung this on her back. Now she was carrying two bags and Aven had three, but at least there was pleanty of food.

They followed Sahara into the woods silently and walked for a couple minutes before reaching another clearing.

"There it is," she whispered.

"Where? I don't see anything," Klara said.

"Look closer," and sure enough, in the very center of the clearing was a water tap, the type that you had to pump to work.

"Well, I wouldn't put it past the game makers if this was the only water source, it is a Quarter Quell after all," Aven shrugged as he made his way into the clearing.

"Wait!" Sahara ran out and grabbed his arm, "The faucet creaks when you pump it, that's when the boy found us. He chased me and Danis into that clearing and well…"

"Is there any way we can fix it? Pull oil on it or something?" Klara asked as she jogged out into the clearing.

"Well, sort of," Sahara began, "It's a crank-fed system, meaning when you pump it, it turns gears that then releases a valve, sending water out the tap. They're all really squeaky, like this one, but normally they have a thin wire inserted right before the gears that stops the squeaking. This one is missing that wire and it's the only thing that could fix it."

"How do you know all this?" Aven asked.

"School," she replied, "Its basic knowledge in District 3."

"Is there anything we could substitute for the wire, maybe some cut up cloth or something?" Klara chimed in.

"No, it would have to be really thin, and easy for things to slide on."

"Hey!" Aven shouted and reached into one of his packs, "How about this?"

In his hand was Klara's hair that he had cut off earlier.

"Yeah, I guess that would work," Sahara said slowly, taking a few strands and braiding them together.

Klara laughed, "Who knew my hair would be so useful?"

Sahara finished braiding the strands and carefully threaded it into the machine, stopping every few seconds to put her ear to the faucet.

"Okay, it should work now," she declared and tried pumping it once. To everyone's delight, water silently flowed out of the end. Aven stuck bottle after bottle under the stream of water, filling them to the brim. When they had all five of their bottles full, they carried them in the shade to be purified.

"Since we've all been pretty dehydrated I think we should each have a bottle and then go back and re-fill them," Aven declared.

"I agree," said Sahara.

The water felt cool and comforting, Klara could almost feel her headache evaporating. When they had all finished, they went back to refill the bottles, purified them, and headed out to find I good place to wait out the night.

"We could go back to our tree from before, I think we'd all fit and I doubt that our friend the mountain lion would be returning," Aven said, the girls nodded. It would take up the rest of the day's light to get back there, but it would be worth it. They each had a few dried fruits and started the trek back.

They passed through the clearing where Aven had fought with the boy from District 10. The bodies had been picked up, but there was still a large amount of blood.

Sahara went down and couched by where her district partner had lain and murmured a couple things that neither Aven or Klara could make out.

All of a sudden, a quiet beeping noise came from above them as a little white parachute fell from the sky. It landed right in front of Aven's feet and Klara nodded to him to open it. Inside were six small buns, tainted slightly blue.

"Wow, I guess we eat well tonight, these won't keep very long," he announced. Klara clapped silently and Sahara stood back up, ready to make their way back to their tree.


	5. Rivals

**Hello Hunger Games fans! Don't forget to review if you have the chance, the games are only going to get more exciting from here and who knows, maybe your opinions could determine the fate of the Tributes? ;)**

**-Many thanks, xx**

That night was dark, foggy and surprisingly cold, compared to the previous days. Klara, Aven, and Sahara had gotten back to the tree late; it was almost dark by the time they were showing Sahara how to climb.

Right when they had gotten into the tree another cannon shot went off, they hoped it would be the last one of the day.

The trio had just finished watching the Capitol's death toll. Today it showed Sahara's partner from District 3, a very small girl from District 9, and the boy from District 10 that Aven had killed.

Sahara and Aven were both very tired and hungry. Now that they weren't as dehydrated, everyone was starting to get their appetites back, so they each had two buns and some meat, finishing off one pack of it.

Klara and Aven positioned themselves on the same branch as the previous night. Sahara laid down across from them, Klara couldn't help but notice that it was the same branch that the mountain lion had poised itself on, but she decided not to mention it.

Aven and Sahara had fallen to sleep very quickly, but Klara stayed awake, pondering the day's actions and perhaps still a bit worried that Sahara may try to make a move and kill them in their sleep.

After a few minutes of listening to the crickets, Klara cleared these thoughts and rested her head back, closing her eyes.

* * *

She woke up what seemed like seconds later, horrors unfolding in front of her. In the same place that thee mountain lion had been watching her the night before was a crouched over figure, recognizable only by her poofy red hair and hypnotizing green eyes.

Katerina, the girl Klara had killed accidentally on the first day, ripped her knife out of Sahara's chest and slowly made her way across the branches towards Klara.

Klara turned to Aven immediately, but finding that where she thought he lay, the mountain lion was hunched, its claws digging into the tree bark.

The two figures crawled toward her painfully slowly; Klara opened her mouth to cry out, but was quickly silenced by Katerina's hand covering her mouth, still dripping in Sahara's blood.

Katerina pinned Klara down, placing her knees on either of Klara's shoulders. She stroked the mountain lion, then reached behind her back and brought out a knife. In a flash, Katerina jammed the knife in the exact spot that Klara had when she killed her and twisted it slowly clockwise, ripping Klara's flesh.

The sensation was excruciating. All of Klara's airways filled with her own blood. She felt like she was drowning and choking at the exact same time. The warm, red liquid made its way to her mouth as Katerina took her hand off the knife.

Placing a hand on the cat, Katerina smiled, showing her perfect teeth and then disappeared into thin air, leaving Klara immobilized, choking on her own blood.

* * *

Klara woke up screaming, Aven had his hand on her shoulder and Sahara was holding her hand.

Klara reached out to touch them, making sure that they were real.

"It was just a nightmare," Aven spoke first, "You were thrashing around a lot. Don't worry, it wasn't real."

Klara let out a deep breath, "I know, thank you."

"Do you want to talk about it?" Sahara asked sincerely.

"It was no big deal, I get the same dream a lot at home about being crushed by a tree," Klara didn't want her partners and, most importantly, the sponsors knowing that her dreams were being haunted by the first girl she killed. It would make her look weak. She could tell by the expression on Aven's face that he didn't believe her.

"We should have some breakfast," Aven said as he divided the opened packet of dried fruit equally among them.

"That leaves us with five bottles of water, four packs of fruit, four packs of meat, five knives, five coils of rope, and the water purifiers," Sahara counted.

"And five packs to fill it all in," Klara inputted. Soon, they had finished their food and were beginning to pack for the day.

Two packs were filled with ropes, two with food and water, and one with the water purifiers. Aven took a pack of food and the water purifiers, Klara took the other pack of food and one of rope, then Sahara was left with a pack of rope. Klara sensed that Aven still didn't fully trust Sahara and didn't want to give her anything really important in case she made a break for it.

"So who all is left?" Aven asked, "I was half asleep during the death toll last night."

"The pair from 2, me, you, the pair from 6, Klara, the boy from 7, the boy from 9, the girl from 11, and the boy from 12," Sahara said with shocking speed, "That makes 11 total."

Klara and Aven stared at her, shocked with how she could recall all that so quickly.

Sahara noticed them, "I was the top of my class for memorization."

Klara simply nodded and climbed down the tree swiftly, the others following.

Once they were on the ground, Aven divided the knives, giving two to himself and Klara, and handing Sahara the remaining.

She took it from him and smirked, "Still don't trust me, huh?"

He just looked at her.

"You were more than willing to give Klara two knives, but only gave me one, plus I know this is a bag of rope," the small girl sighed, "Coming into the games, I decided I was going to work by myself, relying on my wits to keep me alive. But when I saw my partner, I thought I'd give him a shot. You may not have been able to tell it yesterday, but he was strong, he even volunteered, hoping to be the victor of a Quarter Quell. I knew he would be nothing compared to other Tributes, but I figured he could still take a couple out and keep me safe. When I saw how easily he got killed yesterday, I knew he really wasn't a threat to any of those Career guys and I certainly won't be. I won't make it by myself. I need you. I'm not going to run away and I'm certainly not going to kill you in your sleep."

Aven just gulped, amazed by how observant the girl was.

"Here, you can have one of my knives, if you want it," Klara offered.

"No, it's probably better if you two keep them; you're more likely to be able to fight."

"Okay…"

"Well, people are going to start dropping from dehydration today if they don't make it to that water pipe and that doesn't make for a very interesting games. If the Tributes don't find water, then they're all going to die without much 've gotta have some other goodies there to draw people in hoping that they'll find the water pipe while they're there. I say we find a good place to hide and look for any hidden presents from the game makers," Aven proposed.

"And we might be able to check out our competition," Klara added.

* * *

It was noon before they made it fairly close to the clearing. Sure enough, The Game Makers had almost made a path of treasures leading to the water pump. Klara had recognised thimble berries, wild leeks, and fiddle heads on their way and picked a few for the group to eat. She even scraped off some of the inner bark of a trembling aspen tree for Sahara to chew on. She had been complaining of a headache and aspens had remarkable pain killing abilities.

They made it to the clearing where they had met Sahara and quickly passed through it, the place had an eerie feeling after the battle that had been fought there.

The water pipe's field was surrounded in brambles, so there were plenty of places to hide. Klara couldn't help but wonder how many other Tributes were hiding, waiting for the right time to go get water.

All of a sudden a flash of yellow burst from the trees to the left of Klara. It was a girl, about her size, sprinting towards the pipe. Klara could see the determination in her eyes, if only she could make it to the water pipe, she might have a chance.

She didn't make it halfway into the clearing before, out of nowhere, a spear materialized, plunged into her stomach and dropped her instantly. A canon went off just a few seconds later.

Then, Klara noticed where the spear came from, standing almost all the way across the clearing was another girl. She had to be the same height as Aven and looked just as, if not more, deadly. Slowly, she strode out to the girl's corpse and removed her spear. Wiping it off on her white shirt.

From the same place the dead girl came from, Klara saw a flash of silver as a knife flew through the air towards the monstrous killer. She simply ducked out of the way and laughed.

The knife thrower showed himself, he was wearing the same yellow shirt as the dead girl and stood a little bit taller than her. Bravely, he made his way towards his district mate's killer, head held high and knife in his hand.

This made the girl laugh even harder. It took a couple moments, but when she finally composed herself, her expression turned to stone. She looked the boy up and down, shrugged, lifted her hand, and snapped her fingers.

It was so fast that if Klara blinked, she would have missed it. An arrow shot out like a missile from the surrounding trees and landed in the boy's neck. His cannon went off as soon as he hit the ground.

Another figure appeared from the trees. It was a boy, wearing white, just like the girl, with curly black hair. He walked over to the girl and Klara saw that horrifyingly, he was even bigger than her, with a container of arrows and a bow strung across his back.

"Nice job Jaxton," the girl said as the two of them turned their back to the water pipe to admire their kill.

"I could say the same to you, Kyah," Klara could just make out Jaxton say.

While the two of them were off celebrating, not paying attention to the water pump, another shape darted from the trees. She wore purple and had light brown hair and tanned skin. Silently, she ran into the middle of the clearing, pumped some water into her bottle, and sprinted back into the trees.

Klara looked at Aven and Sahara. Jaxton and Kyah clearly had a lot of sponsors, that's the only way that they could have gotten those special weapons. She knew that even strong, tall Aven couldn't compare to them with only his two hunting knives.

The game just got a whole lot more interesting.


	6. A Change in the Skies

Sahara, Aven, and Klara did the only thing they could think of, run. Thankfully, no other Tributes had spotted them, so very carefully; they slipped away, retreating as far as they could from their brutal opponents.

Soon the day had them worn out. The Past three days had been excruciatingly hot, way hotter than it had ever been in District 7.

"It's surprizing that they haven't given us a change in weather yet," Aven broke the silence.

Almost as if on cue a cooler breeze blew in and Klara felt her skin feel a cool relief. She looked directly upwards to see that snow was falling down heavily. Her and Sahara exchanged glances, both of them recognising the chilly weather. Aven on the other hand, looked confused.

"Uh, what's going on?" he asked.

"It's snowing, you guys probably don't get any of it in District 4, but it happens all winter in 7," Klara told him.

"That's werid, I thought the Gamemakers wouldn't provide any other water sources," Aven said clearly puzzled. Klara considered this, sharing his confusion and was just about to speak out when Sahara spoke quietly, gaze fixed on the snow landing in her palm.

"They didn't," she looked up, "the snow's not melting."

The trio exchanged nervous glances, until a large parachute landed beside them.

Klara strode over to get it and slowly opened the large canister it came with. Inside was a pure white tarp that seemed to be water-proof, not that it mattered. She tucked the tarp into one of her back packs, confused by the gift. Wasn't there something they could give that would be more useful?

"Well, even if this snow isn't melting, its still freezing cold. Any plants I found yesterday aren't going to last very long, we should probably go searching for them if we want to store some," Klara said.

"Good idea," said Aven. He looked around, "I don't recognize where we are, but we're pretty far from the water tap clearing, I guess we could look for your plants then settle in for the night."

"I think that's a great idea," Sahara finished, "What should we be looking for, Klara?"

"Well…" Klara looked down at the inch or two of snow that was already developing, "We should probably be looking for Thimble Berries, everything else is going to be buried already and its probably not the best idea to be digging, our hands would get really cold."

She explained what the berries looked like and they all split up with the promise of returning to this spot when the sun had just started to set.

* * *

Thankfully it all went without a hitch; the three collected enough berries to fill one of their empty water bottles and diminish their hunger as well.

"I think I figured what your tarp was for Klara," Sahara piped in, "I think we're supposed to use it like a tent to keep the snow off of us, if it keeps snowing like this, then we could suffocate if we get buried. The only problem is that if we stay under it too long, we'll use up all the oxygen and suffocate anyways…"

"Well what if we cut a lot of small holes in it? Sure a bit of snow would come in, but we can deal with that," Klara asked.

"That's what I was just about to suggest," the other girl finished. Klara pulled the tarp out of her bag and Aven volunteered one of his knives. Carefully he cut small triangles into the fabric.

"We should put it up under a tree, where less snow has accumulated on the ground, we'll still have to snuggle together, but at least we won't be as cold," Sahara mentioned.

Klara blushed and Aven hung his head awkwardly. Sahara was the only one who didn't seem to feel strange about this, even if it was for survival.

Aven finally looked back up again and pointed to a thick bunch of trees a small distance away.

"I was picking berries in there earlier and the ground had almost no snow on it," he announced.

"Great!" The girls said in unison.

Aven, being the tallest, made their shelter. He threaded a rope through two small holes, then threw it over one of the tree's lower branches and secured it around the trunk. Klara and Sahara each went out to find some rocks to pin down the tarp around the ground. When they were finished, they were pleasantly surprised. It was near impossible to tell that the tarp was even there.

Aven let out a low whistle, "Well, it's getting late, we should brush ourselves off and settle down."

The three took turns brushing off each other's backs and heads, then slipped under a thin gap between the tent and ground. Each took a small sip of their water and a little handful of meat before curling together, their supplies in the middle of them to keep from freezing.

Sahara dozed off quickly, her small frame warm, nestled in-between the two older tributes. Aven and Klara's heads rested a couple of inches apart, both with their eyes open, nervous of their new surroundings and the suffocating death falling slowly around them.

Aven reached up and, to Klara's surprise, ruffled his fingers through her hair.

"I bet you wished you hadn't chopped off all your hair now."

Klara paused a long time before answering, "It's just hair, it'll grow back."

"Well, whether it's long or short, you still look beautiful."

Klara's cheeks flared up instantly, thankfully it was dark enough that she was sure Aven couldn't see it, however it seemed he could sense her tensing up.

All of a sudden the Capitol's anthem began playing and Klara and Aven looked up through the screen they had cut. Between the falling snow and tree branches, they could just make out the faces of the two tributes from District 6 that the Careers killed earlier. Klara noticed that the girl was even prettier then she looked, her shiny, straight hair complimenting her slender face. Both of them were in their mid-teens, just another set of kids killed by the Capitol.

"You go to sleep, I'll keep watch for a bit," Aven said quietly, but Klara couldn't move.

She couldn't think of Aven romantically, she knew that she just couldn't. Any thoughts she had had of him before she had quickly supressed, for obvious reasons. Not only did they come from different districts, but only one of them could come out. Their fate was sealed. At least one of them would die in the arena and that was that. They had no future together.

However, Aven was the first boy who had ever called her beautiful. Back home, people looked for strength in their partners, not beauty. Klara's scrawny body had never received much attention from any boys, until now.

"I know your eyes are still open," Aven whispered, "they practically glow in the darkness."

"Right…" Klara stammered, "Uh, thanks. I'll... uh… work on that."

Klara's face was practically flaming and only got worse when Aven started laughing.

"Alright, Klara," he chuckled, "Just go to sleep."

Klara finally shut her eyes, trying to calm down, but nothing could stop her mind from spinning. Why would he do this? They didn't need to take it to the next level, in fact, they couldn't. Romance was a curse in the arena, one that she wanted to avoid.

* * *

In the early morning she was awoken by a cannon shot. A light dusting of the fake snow had made its way through the screen Aven had cut and made a thin layer on her shoulder.

"Good morning," Aven croaked, making Klara jump and nudge Sahara awake.

"Oh my god, Aven, what's all over you?" Klara barely managed.

"Blood."

Sahara and Klara just stared at him in horror. He stared back, one arm behind his back, a small smile crossing his lips.

Sahara grabbed Klara's arm and started to back slowly away, eyes wide in fear.

A couple moments later, Aven laughed, "From this rabbit."

He pulled a brown, steaming object from behind him.

"I went out right at dawn. The snow's great, you can see all the footprints anything makes, I just followed a pair and found this guy. I cooked him far away from here before the smoke could be seen so we don't have to worry about anyone finding us. Here, have some."

Klara, hands still shaking, took a piece of warm meat from him, "I didn't even know there were rabbits here."

"I guess we didn't notice them when we couldn't see their footprints," Sahara said groggily.

"There's no need for us to go anywhere, it's so hard to walk in all the snow and we still have water to last awhile, its best for us to stay undercover," Aven decided.

"Did you sleep at all last night?" Klara asked him.

"No, I figured one of us should keep watch, we don't know what sorts of things are lurking around here."

"True, but get some sleep, we can't afford to lose any strength when it's this cold," Sahara said. Klara noticed for the first time that she could see the small girl's breath.

"Alright, if you say so," Aven said as he curled down next to Klara's crossed legs, "Oh and by the way, another tribute died in the night, I don't know how."

Klara simply nodded and Aven closed his eyes. That left 8. At the final 8, the Capitol began to interview the Tribute's families, and needed less excitement with the actual Tributes themselves. It would give them some downtime to catch their bearings and come up with a plan against District 2.

The snow was still falling heavily; it would be a long couple of days.

* * *

For three days, they just sat there. In the time they had been in the tent, two tributes had died: the boy from 9 and the boy from 12. That still left the boy from Klara's District who they had never actually seen and the mysterious girl in purple who had cleverly avoided the Careers. Also left were Kyah and Jaxton from 2, Klara, Aven, and Sahara, and the girl from 10.

Aven, Sahara and Klara took turns sleeping and exhausted most of their resources. Thankfully, on the second day they received a parachute containing three water bottles, so they didn't dehydrate too much.

Klara also learned a lot about Aven and Sahara during their downtime.

Sahara told them about how she was still in school, but had already invented a chemical spray that could make people think they were a cat if they inhaled it directly. It was still in testing and researchers at the Capitol were continuing her research. She had two younger siblings named Allison and Harvard that she refused to let take out tesserae, even though her family got five servings of it this year.

Aven talked about how his widowed mother didn't work at all and he hoped that if he won this year he could pay for everything they needed. Klara thought it was curious how he never mentioned the training academy, but dismissed it quickly and told her own story.

She talked about her older siblings and how they had inherited her father's looks, with brown hair and brown eyes. She told them about the forest she worked in and how she had dropped out of school the previous year, an act that was common in District 7. She didn't mention that she wasn't actually a logger, only a messenger, in the hopes that this would make the Capitol audiences think she could actually handle a weapon.

Whenever Klara had thought she was finished a story, Aven persisted, asking the dumbest questions.

_Did you have a lot of friends at school? What type of wood is your house made of? What's your pet cat's name?_

Klara answered every time, trying to hide how annoyed she was. How did any of that matter? They were in the arena, there was no use trying to learn more about the other Districts, since he probably wasn't going to survive to see them anyways.

Klara stiffened when she considered the fact that maybe Aven was trying to learn more about her. It was so much easier when they both seemed to realise that their friendship was temporary. Now Aven was acting like he thought that they could make it together and Klara was conflicted, wondering whether she wished that they could too.

The Capitol audiences loved a romance. Ever since a pair from District 12 confessed their love for each other during their interviews, tons of Tributes had tried to copy the act. Most of them became huge targets and were killed off quickly. Klara knew that being in love put a huge target on your back in the Games and originally she was certain she wanted to avoid it, but now…

Klara's thoughts were suddenly interrupted by an extremely loud ripping sound echoing all around them, she panicked, calling out Aven's name until she was silenced by a horrifying crunch and a searing pain.


	7. Agony

_Is this what it's like to die?_

_The sun making its way through the powder-covered tree tops casting pretty shadows on the ground all around. Light snow drifts down slowly, decorating my hair and face with sparkling light. _

_The breeze and snow are blissfully cold, but yet the sun gives an overall warming affect._

_Everything is soft, light, like a dream._

_I feel free. Free of the arena, free of the constant fear of my surroundings, free of my perplexing life._

_A cannon goes off somewhere nearby, echoing in my ears, sounding almost like the deep bass of the music my father used to play on his homemade drums._

_Is it for me? It very well could be. In fact, I think I would be happy if it is._

_I'm going to die eventually, why shouldn't it be now, the way the capitol planned._

_But wait, if I'm dead, why am I in pain?_

"Klara! Klara don't move!" Sahara shouted, wrestling out from under the collapsed tarp.

"Sahara! What's happening?" Klara's pulse quickened and it was getting harder to breathe. She tried to sit up to see what was going on but was instantly stopped by heat and white-hot pain radiating up her arm.

Her arm. Her left arm was pinned under a tree.

Sahara ran over to her quickly, placing her hands on either of Klara's shoulders.

"Shhh… shhh… its alright… we're going to get you out of this. Aven! Aven, come here!" Sahara looked around franticly for the boy.

Aven was crouched down at the other side of the tree, hands on the snow covered bark. He stood up and walked eerily slowly over to Klara's pinned body.

"The cannon shot… w..w..what happened? Who… who... who... died?" Klara stammered, chest rising up and down quickly with pain.

"Don't worry, it was just the girl from 10, they must have been outside our tent about to attack us, they're dead," Aven said slowly in an attempt to calm Klara down, but it wasn't helping.

"What… what are we gonna d-do?"

"We're gonna get you out of there," Sahara said, eyes locked to Klara's. Through her tears Klara could make out the honesty in her deep brown irises. She nodded, her breath and pulse still way faster than usual. She could still feel her hand on her pinned arm and there was no pool of blood forming under the tree, so maybe the injury wouldn't be lethal.

Oh but the pain, it was like nothing she had ever felt, worse than any gash she had ever experienced at home in the woods. Her eyes were filling with tears, but none ever fell. Any pains from hunger were gone, shrouded by the torturous crushing of her left arm.

Suddenly Sahara's face was right in front of hers, holding out something. Klara focused her eyes on the object and could just make out a stick about the thickness of her thumb.

"For your mouth," Sahara looked embarrassed to say it, demonstrating biting down on the stick. Klara just did as she said, there wasn't much else she could do in her vulnerable state.

Klara bit down hard on the stick, the taste of toothpaste filling her mouth. It must yellow birch, Klara knew how to differentiate between different kinds of birch trees simply by their taste.

Aven was standing a couple feet down the tree, where the trunk was small enough for him to loop his arms around it. Sahara sat right behind Klara's head. She turned her slender face towards the towering boy and nodded once, the two must have coordinated a plan while Klara wasn't paying attention.

Sahara nodded once and Aven wrapped his arms around the trunk of the fallen tree, let out a low grunt and lifted it about a foot in the air. Awkwardly, Sahara grabbed Klara's previously pinned arm and quickly pulled it away from the trunk sending shockwaves of pain up Klara's shoulder and forcing her to bite down harder on the branch, a high-pitched noise escaping her lips.

Aven let the tree down and it fell with a thud that shook the groun, he jogged back over to Klara and Sahara and bent down to join Sahara in examining Klara's surely broken arm.

"It's broken for sure, but the bone didn't break through the skin. You've got a couple scratched but nothing too serious," Sahara said solemnly. Even though Klara was no longer pinned, the pain in her arm kept her from being able to move.

Klara opened her mouth to speak, but the only noise that came out was another pained moan.

"Don't speak, I'm no doctor, but I'm sure it's not good for you," Aven whispered, pushing Klara's sweat soaked hair off her forehead. She was sure this was meant in a comforting way, but as she was trying to avoid all romantic interaction with Aven, it only made her more uncomfortable.

"Here, have some water," Sahara held out a water bottle. Klara took a few sips, the cold water felt amazing running down her throat.

For the next while Sahara and Aven coaxed Klara enough to sit up and have some food. Klara had lost all track of time, her head as foggy as her eyes. Eventually her arm stopped hurting as much, unless she moved or touched it, at which time jolts of pain swept through her whole upper body.

For a long time no one talked, the hovercraft hadn't come to pick up the other body because they were still too close to it, none of the three wanted to go check out the surely crushed tribute.

"We should move," Aven spoke first.

"To where, where is there that we can go?" Klara responded, the sound of her own voice startling her.

"Klara's right, the weight of the snow on the trees is too much; they could fall at any time. We're surrounded by possible death traps," Sahara said, her voice still low and solemn.

"And what are we going to do about this?" Klara nodded down at her arm. She others had propped her up on a nearby tree and she let her broken arm hang limp beside her, "I can't just walk around with it hanging beside me."

"Well, we could make you a sling out of some rope, it's going to hurt a lot while we're making it though and you'll have to stand up," Sahara confessed.

Klara swallowed, "Do whatever you need to do."

Aven helped Klara to her feet and Sahara pulled out a length of rope.

"Are you ready?" The small girl asked, looking into Klara's eyes again. Klara nodded and grit her teeth.

When Sahara placed her cold fingers on Klara's skin she flinched instantly. Sahara remained unfazed and gently bent Klara's arm, draping it across Klara's chest.

It was all Klara could do not to scream.

The small girl wrapped the rope around and around Klara's arm, shoulder, and waist in a pattern that left a strong cast, but still gave Klara mobility.

Aven watched from a couple feet away the whole time, never offering to help. His face showed that he was perplexed and perhaps a bit worried.

Klara looked over to him in confusion, "What's wrong?"

"The tarp," He motioned towards the fallen tree. Sure enough, most of the tarp was pinned under the trunk with a few branches piercing it, leaving wide gaping holes, "Even if we could get it out, it won't be much use now."

Klara looked around; the thick, un-melting blanket of snow had covered almost all of the available resources.

She looked up to the sky, the snow had almost completely stopped falling, she must not have noticed before when she was in such pain.

"Well, there is a sort of cave that my father showed me how to make in the woods. All we need is a steep hill or valley of some sort and then we just dig out a cave…" Klara said quietly, her voice finally becoming stronger.

"There wasn't anything like that on the side of the water pipe clearing that we were at before, but we never explored over in that direction," Aven pointed in the way the wind was blowing.

Sahara stopped them, "We're running low on water though."

Just like that, the familiar beeping of a silver parachute echoed around them as the parcel landed directly in the center of them.

"Well, you said it, Sahara," Aven looked at the small girl, "I think we just got some more water."

Sure enough, inside the package were three identical water bottles

"We must have a lot of sponsors," Sahara looked shocked by the gift.

Aven smirked, he leaned in closer to Klara, "Well, the crowd can't resist a budding romance."

He outlined her jawline with his finger, sending tingles up Klara's cheek.

Klara's face flamed, she wished that it was out of anger for Aven's persistence with their "budding romance," but to her dismay, that was not the case.

She wanted this. She wanted him.

Them being together was impossible, but still the feeling nagged to grab his hand, tell him how she felt, forget about the cameras and the hungry eyes of Panem.

Only one victor was crowned. If she was going to win, Aven would have to die. She would have to die for him to win and no matter how much this boy enchanted her; she wasn't ready to make that sacrifice.

Klara brushed his hand away, "So we should probably set out for a place to stay the night."

She tried to take a few steps in the way that Aven had motioned before but was quickly stopped by the pain radiating through her shoulder with every step, she winced her face and waited for the agony to pass. It seemed the direct pressure on her left foot shifted her arm in such a way that made it excruciating to move.

"Having some trouble, are you?" Aven stood right beside her. Klara looked up to the boy and saw in his eyes that he had figured her out. Somehow, this boy who was all brawn and no brains knew exactly what was going on inside her head. And now he was playing with her.

The nerve.

"No I'm fine actually, I was just… checking the direction of the wind," Klara made up. She tried to take a few small steps to prove it true, but was stopped again by the familiar aching.

"Sure you are," he laughed. Swiftly, he reached down to Klara's calves and before she could even protest, hoisted her small frame up into his arms.

Klara opened her mouth to fight, but just gave in; she was too weak to object. Besides, this would help get them more sponsors.

Aven motioned Sahara forward, who had just been standing there awkwardly the whole time, clearly uncomfortable by Aven and Klara's interactions. Aven moved, testing the ground below him, surprisingly, Klara barely felt a thing and it didn't seem too difficult for Aven to walk.

She would let him help her for now, but Klara would not let Aven into her mind and her decisions.

Even if she wanted to, she just couldn't.


	8. Passenger

They had walked until noon before Aven got too tired to carry Klara. Thankfully the snow had stopped falling, but it was not showing any signs of melting, just as Sahara had predicted.

"Well, you're lighter than you look, but I can't carry you anymore," Aven groaned as he set Klara down gently.

Klara paused, "Thank you…?"

"You are very welcome," Aven replied with a wink.

"I was thinking, maybe if you could find another aspen tree, you could get some painkiller from its bark like you did before?" Sahara said, she had stayed a few steps behind Aven the whole duration of their travel, no doubt feeling a bit strange from when Aven had been flirting with Klara before.

"Oh, you're right, I never even thought of that," Klara pondered, "Then Aven wouldn't have had to carry me this whole time."

"Really it was no problem, in fact I kind of enjoyed it, the whole damsel in distress thing looks good on you," Aven said in his usual sly-but-romantic way.

"And you make the perfect Prince Charming," Klara nearly clapped her hands over her mouth. Where had that come from?

And to her shock, she meant it.

Aven looked just as surprised by her answer but quickly shrugged it away with a smile.

He looked deep into her eyes, face inches from hers, glanced down at her lips and subtly bit his own. Klara's heart was hammering, even faster than it had when she was pinned by the tree. Her whole body ached, including her broken arm, but she was paralyzed, unable to move.

Aven looked back into her eyes, blinked twice and slowly reached out his hand, letting his fingers brush her shoulder at they moved towards her face. Suddenly, he lifted his hand up, quickening its pace and passed her face.

He ruffled her hair coarsely, sending any rouge flakes of snow to the ground. Her heart felt like it was about to explode, beating too fast and strained at the same time.

Surviving the arena was easier than this.

"So, Klara, what does an aspen tree look like again," Sahara broke in.

Aven turned around sharply from Klara and took a couple steps away.

Klara had to clear her throat several times before speaking; she described the tree in detail as well as how to collect the bark. Sahara volunteered to walk with her and took her hand, They walked silently in one direction, Klara leaning slightly on the small-but-sturdy girl. In a couple minutes they had found a proper tree and began to loop back to where they were before.

Although, before they had turned around, they heard the snapping of branches a couple meters back. Fear crept into Sahara's wide eyes, Klara tightened her grip around her knives and pushed through the thicker brush in the direction of the noises.

Soon the two girls came out into a small clearing. Klara looked hurriedly around the gap in the trees when a small blue smudge caught her eye.

Focusing more she realised it was a person, wearing the same blue shirt as her but about half her size, it was her district mate. He was hunched over a small fire; they must have heard him snapping the branches for it before.

"Hey," Klara whispered as she took a couple steps forward. Sahara padded silently up beside her.

The boy whipped around and opened his eyes in terror, backing away slowly, shaking like a leaf.

"Don't worry," Klara said, offering over her hand, "We don't want to hurt you."

The boy shook his head. He continued backing away until he was almost at the edge of the clearing. Klara noticed he had no supplies on him, and looked even thinner than she remembered at the reaping.

Klara looked up to the sky to check where the sun was positioned. As her eyes turned upwards, she noticed something through the trees, a pair of glowing green-yellow eyes.

Panicked, she grabbed Sahara's shoulder pulling her away from the frightened boy. Just as the two of them made it back into the woods, the mountain lion sprung from the trees, crumpling the small boy's body and digging its razor claws into his neck.

"RUN!" Klara shouted, starting to sprint away. Every step was agonizing, but not nearly as agonizing as it would be to be caught by the cat.

Sahara tripped over a fallen log and a cannon shot echoed through the woods, no doubt it was for the boy from her District. Klara helped the girl back up and began running again, pain throbbing through her injured arm.

After running for what seemed like an eternity they finally made it back to where they had left Aven. Aven was leaning against a tree, clearly nervous with them being gone so long and with the cannon shot that had gone off in that time.

He turned towards the two panting girls, looked over in relief and wrapped his arms around Klara.

Klara's whole body was alive with pain and electricity, her hands shaking and tears threatening in her eyes.

"The m-mountain lion," her shaky voice whispered, "The boy from my district… it… he…"

"Shh, shh, I know, I know, it's okay, relax, you're alright," Aven soothed.

Klara opened her mouth to speak again, but the pain was just too much, she was light-headed from the running and horrified by the scene that had previously unfolded.

It was just too much, too much.

Her eyes went black.

* * *

Klara woke up again with less of an ache in her arm and her body warm from human contact.

"Hi."

"Uh, hello?" Klara's eyes weren't adjusted to the darkness yet.

"Don't worry, it's just me," Sahara giggled, "I'm keeping watch, we found a good rock cropping on the side of a valley where there was no snow. You passed out after we found the boy from your District, remember?"

Klara did remember. The had stumbled across the small boy and a mountain lion dropped down on him. They just made it back to Aven and then… darkness.

"Here, have some rabbit, Aven caught one while we were looking for a place to stay. He carried you here too."

Klara glanced behind her and saw the source of her heat, Aven was sleeping right behind her, his strong body pressed up against her thin one. He was breathing slowly, his chest rising and falling with the rhythm of the crickets.

Sahara sneezed, no louder than a mouse.

"Bless you."

"Thanks."

Klara quietly chewed her rabbit and took a sip from one of their water bottles. Things had been more awkward with Sahara since Aven started being so nice to her publicly. Klara figured that back home Sahara would be a lot like her, shy, awkward when it came to other people, especially boys.

Klara's heart pained when she remembered that the girl's life would most likely be ending soon.

"You should go back to sleep, you've had a rather big day. I'll wake you up if anything happens," Sahara whispered.

Klara was tired, she didn't object, "Thanks."

Sahara nodded with a small smile. Klara resumed her position curled up with Aven, closed her eyes and swiftly fell back into the darkness of sleep.


	9. How to Play

"Good morning."

Klara blinked her eyes a couple of times, adjusting to the morning light. Aven was sitting up across from her and Sahara lay hunched asleep against the back wall.

"Sahara told me you woke up in the night, I'm glad, you were passed out a long time," Aven whispered.

Klara sat up groggily. "Well, I did have a tree fall on me."

Aven paused a long time, just looking at Klara. "And I saved you."

"Yes, you did. Thanks by the way," Klara looked down at her hands.

"No need to thank me, Sahara thought of the whole plan," Aven stared at her, Klara lifted her chin back up, "Speaking of Sahara, I want to do something while she's still asleep."

Klara's heart pounded; did he want to kill her?

She felt the need to throw herself in front of Sahara's body, protecting the young girl, but when she thought about it, would it be better to do it this way? Kill the girl before a brutal career or mutation could do it? If Klara wanted to win, Sahara would have to die, but the thought still filled her with sorrow.

To her surprise, Aven didn't pull out a knife; he wasn't even moving towards Sahara, he was moving towards _her_.

Before she could even protest, Aven gently placed his hand on Klara's hip, pulled her in, leaned his head down and placed his warm lips against hers.

Klara panicked at first, she had never been kissed before and doing it for the first time in the arena just felt wrong. There were girls at her school who had kissed boys by the time they were in the fourth grade and she always felt left out for never having a boyfriend. When she dropped out of school, all feelings like that stopped mattering since she hardly saw anyone from school unless she ran into them at the market. She didn't know what was happening, how she should react, or even what to do.

Then it hit her. She probably wasn't going to get out of the arena, this would be her last chance to ever fall in love.

Lovers were always a huge target in the arena, but it wasn't like anyone could see them anyways.

Well, no one except all of Panem.

Little fires started lighting up inside Klara, spreading across her body to every extent of her limbs. All of her pain, even the throbbing in her arm disappeared for a few stretched moments. Her heart hammered, not like the way it did when the tree fell on her, but contently, like she had just had a full meal after days of hunger.

Aven pulled back and gazed into Klara's wide eyes for a few more seconds before saying anything. "You don't deserve this, the games, the fear, the loss. Someone like you doesn't deserve this."

"Like me?"

Aven paused before he answered. "You didn't ask for it, it's not fair to make something so innocent fight for its life."

"But I'm not innocent."

"Yes you are and you're beautiful too."

Klara looked down at her hands. "We can't have anything, you and me, and you know it too."

"I know."

"Then why?" Klara's voice was starting to get raised, "Why this? The 'romance', the kiss?" she lowered her voice to a barely audible whisper, "Is it just for sponsors?"

"No! Of course not," Aven looked guilty when he saw the hurt in her eyes, "It's just… I couldn't stand it if I died before I… let you know how I feel."

"But that's the thing, Aven! You're not going to die! Out of any of us you're going to win, you're going to go home… without me."

They looked at each other, the increasing morning light leaving earthy patterns on Aven's back and setting Klara's eyes ablaze. For a few slow moments they didn't move, talk, or avert their gaze, just conversed silently, saying everything with their eyes.

At least one of them was going to die, neither of them deserved it, they were just counting down to when.

Klara felt herself being torn, then a thought crossed her mind. If they were going to die anyways, theh why not make the best of it?

She lifted her eyebrows slightly and Aven's eyes clouded in confusion, then understanding. He nodded faintly and smiled, he understood. Klara smiled back, her heart filling.

They would show the Capitol how to really play the games, not to survive, but to live.

A noise caught Klara's attention. She whipped her head around, fearing the worst, but was glad to see it was just Sahara waking up and stretching.

Aven reached out and ruffled Klara's short hair. "What do you say we go find some breakfast?"

* * *

They had walked quite apiece and the day was past its peak before Klara, Aven and Sahara had started back towards their rock outcropping on the side of the slope.

Klara could feel Aven's strong, protective aura as she walked beside him silently through the unlmelting snow. Her arm barely hurt at all which she thought was kind of strange, but there were only 6 tributes left, if something was really wrong with it, she'd either be back at the Capitol with its fancy medicines or dead before it could drain too much from her.

As they walked through the woods in the morning, Klara had made note of all the fallen trees in their path that just couldn't stand up to the weight of the snow. Aven had helped her over any grounded trunks stating that 'going over is more fun.' Klara just laughed and went with it; after all, she was allowing herself to like Aven now.

Early in their walk, Sahara spotted a plump squirrel sitting high in the branches of a Maple. Aven put a finger over his lips and slowly crept towards the tree, virtually noiseless in the thick snow. Soundlessly, he pulled a knife out from his pack and launched it at the squirrel. The small mammal didn't have time to react, the thick knife lodged its blade into its skull and the squirrel tipped off the branch onto the ground where it disturbed a few snowflakes that floated gracefully in the air around it.

Klara let out a mock cheer and Aven jokingly struck a pose, hoisting the squirrel above his head. Sahara looked less impressed, reminding them that they were going to need more food than one squirrel. Klara nodded, trying to be serious, but one look at Aven sent her back into a fit of laughing.

Eventually the group regained their composure and continued walking until they were stopped again by another squirrel. This time, Aven handed Klara a knife and pulled her towards the perched animal with him. He drew back her arm and signalled for her to let go of the knife. The weapon sailed through the air and landed, to Klara's dismay, in the squirrel's tail.

The animal let out a screech and fell to the ground like the previous prey. However, Aven was already ready; he ran swiftly up to the injured squirrel and ended its life quickly by smashing its head against the tree trunk.

He praised Klara on her knife skills and teasingly thanked her for her contributions to the trio's meal, Klara said she was glad to help and suggested they start a fire to cook the meat.

With no sign of any tributes nearby, they all worked together to get a small fire started, clean the animals, then downed the squirrels with a side of thimble berries and some sips from their water bottles.

Now, the three headed back towards the previous night's shelter, Klara and Aven in the lead beside each other and Sahara taking up the back. No one had talked for a long time, focused on returning to where they knew was safe.

It was hard for Klara to carry many supplies with her injured arm, so she just had a light bag of the remaining dried food slung over her right shoulder. The group had opted to leave the water purifiers back at their shelter, as well as a bag of rope. It was too heavy to carry and even if they somehow got lost or destroyed, it wouldn't be that much of a loss.

All of a sudden Sahara's hushed footsteps stopped. "Do you hear that?"

Aven paused, listening, Klara stopped as well.

"I don't hear anything, Sahara," Aven said, his eyebrows meshed in confusion.

"Just wait," the small girl didn't move.

Klara looked at her. "Sahara, we should keep moving, we don't want to get caught in the-"

Klara stopped suddenly, she did hear something. It started off sounding like a very strong wind, but elevated quickly.

"It sounds like a train," Sahara's eyes widened in fear.

Klara swallowed hard, not knowing what to make of the mysterious noise, until Aven grabbed her arm. He held a coil of rope in one hand and his eyes were round and wide.

Wordlessly, he grabbed Sahara too and dragged them over to a very large tree. He pushed them both against the trunk so that their faces pushed against the bark. He wound the rope around each of their waists and then around the tree itself, tying what Klara was sure was some elaborate fishing knot.

"Aven, what's going on?!" Klara shouted over the increasing roar as Aven took his place in-between Klara and Sahara.

His eyes were still wide with fear. "A tornado. Imagine the strongest winds you've ever felt, multiply that by ten."

The huge boy wrapped one of his arms around Sahara's scrawny shoulders and Klara's heart started pounding.

"You're going to want to hold on tight," Aven said, his voice shaking as he held out his hand to Klara. Klara gripped it tight, leaned her forehead against the tree's rough bark and took a deep breath.

All of a sudden it was upon them. Klara could hear the cracking and ripping as branches were torn off trees and trees were torn out of the ground itself. The wind whipped past her face, lodging little pieces of gravel and debris into her skin.

It was so loud that she didn't even know if she was screaming.

Klara could feel her feet being lifted from the ground by the extreme force of the tornado and Aven increased his grip on her slender hand. She could hear crunching from above and was sure that it was the branches of their tree being shredded from the trunk.

Unexpectedly, Klara felt the weight on her back lighten as her pack was ripped away, lost in the strong wind.

Klara opened her eyes for a moment, and sure enough, her feet were hovering slightly off the ground and her body was being suspended a few inches from the trunk. Aven looked strong and steady; his feet planted a few feet apart and his sturdy arm the only thing preventing Sahara's tiny body being dragged into the storm.

When she turned her face the slightest, Klara saw the most terrifying thing the arena had produced yet. A cyclone of wreckage and churning winds towered in the sky only yards away from them. She could make out whole trees, roots and all, swirling inside the tornado. If it weren't for Aven's quick actions, they would all be in the tornado as well, being battered to their death.

With no warning, a branch fell from above, raking Klara's right cheek and arm, barely missing her eye. She turned her face back towards the sturdy tree's trunk, praying that the rope securing them would hold. She could feel the blood gushing from the wounds on her cheek and arm but didn't dare look.

All she could do was hold on to Aven and hope that the tornado didn't turn on its course.


	10. Aftermath

**Hello readers! :D**

**Figured it was time to pop in again and thank you for your support, the story has been way more successful then I had ever imagined. We're getting pretty close to the end, there's only six tributes left :o**

**Things are going to start resolving pretty quickly now, my plan is all falling into place :D**

**Thank you so much for reading, and if you don't mind, drop a review? **

**So, without further ado, I present Aftermath...**

For minutes the wind whipped at the trio, deafening them and showering them with twigs. Klara could hear countless branches slamming into nearby trees and the one she was hiding behind, just narrowly missing her head. She was sure the tornado was passing, but her ears were ringing. Every so often, a branch or twig would rake her back or sides, making her small frame cringe.

Eventually, with her static-filled ears, she could hear the noise dissipating. The ground shook as whole trees were thrown back to the ground after being ripped from the Earth and carried through the air.

Aven squeezed her hand and Klara lifted her shaking forehead from the trunk of the tree. Waves of pain coursed through her broken arm and she needed help from Aven to pry her wobbly body away. He wrapped his own shaking arms around her and rested his chin on the top of her head.

Klara let tears come, she wasn't sure she had the strength to stop them, even if she wanted to. Aven stroked the back of her head gently, making soft cooing noises trying to calm her down.

All of a sudden a wave of terror hit Klara. "Where's Sahara?!"

Klara broke free of Aven's grasp and looked around frantically for the little girl. To her relief the girl was slouched against the tree, stiff as stone and eyes wide with fear. Klara held out her hand and Sahara grasped on to it immediately, got to her feet and walked robotically over to Klara.

Klara was shocked when the small girl threw her arms around Klara's waist and began to sob. Klara stood still letting Sahara bury her face in her shirt and expel all the fear that she had probably kept bottled up since the start of the games. Klara felt not like a partner, but more of a mother, holding the shaking girl.

She had had similar experiences with her siblings and parents at times like when her uncle was killed, except for one crucial difference, she was always in Sahara's place. Now, being the older of the two, she felt sympathetic, even slightly guilty and, most prominently, willing to do whatever it took to help the girl get past her fears.

Through blurry eyes Klara could see Aven walking around, taking in what was left of the forest. He pulled the rope that was restraining them out from behind the tree to find it was getting dangerously frayed in one section, if the storm had gone on any longer, the rope would have snapped. Klara shuddered thinking of it.

Aven walked back over just as Sahara broke free from her death-grip on Klara's waist. She wiped her eyes and nose with her long sleeves that had gotten torn in many places during the storm.

Aven crouched down to eye-level with the tiny girl. "You were so brave."

"Thanks," Sahara blinked a couple of times, brown eyes glowing with courage. Aven grabbed both her hands and brought her in for a hug. Klara couldn't help but notice it paired well with her motherly act from before.

After a few seconds Aven stood back up again and took a couple of steps towards Klara. He reached up and touched her cheek and arm where the branch had scratched her before. Thin lines of blood oozed from the scratches and the occasional piece of gravel protruded from her skin.

"I lost my pack," Klara gestured towards her back where the bag had rested before the storm.

Aven took notice. "That's okay."

"No, it isn't. That was our only food and anything wild was either killed or scared away by that storm."

"We'll make it, we have sponsors, remember, and you know the forest, I'm sure there's something we can eat out here. Besides, we have full stomachs, what we need to focus on now is getting bandaged up."

Klara bit her lower lip and really looked at her surroundings for the first time. There were very few trees that were still completely rooted to the ground and even fewer with any branches left. The snow was so thin in patches that you could see the fern-covered ground and piled as tall as Sahara in others. It was really amazing that they had survived without being pulled into the cyclone.

Klara was sure that the tornado was made by the Gamemakers, so maybe they had purposely left them alive. After all, there were only six tributes left and at this point the audience liked to see some tribute-on-tribute gore.

"Well," Aven's voice brought her back into reality. "The important thing is that I still have you."

Klara blushed, taken off guard. Honestly, she did not know what to say. She was still so shaken, romance seemed out of the question. Aven seemed to pick up on this. "Do you feel okay to travel? We should head home."

Aven reached out in his oh-so-tantalising way, encompassing her whole cheek with his large, strong hand. His hand was cold, a striking contrast to her throbbing, heated skin. Standing opposite one another, Klara's eyes lined up with the base of Aven's neck.

Klara turned her face up to meet Aven's shining eyes.

At the present moment they were steel grey, deep and flecked with navy. The sun was just starting to turn the sky to honey and his eyes likewise. Now that most of the trees had been so drastically pruned, the light shone through to them making the shadows of snapped branches dance on Aven's brow, framing his eyes in darkness.

It was a nice look.

Aven's hand continued up her face, grazing Klara's charcoal eyelashes. He reached all the way to her cropped hair, spreading his fingers out evenly. He paused, holding his breath, then ruffled his fingers, sending a shower of twigs and gravel that had become trapped during the strong winds onto Klara's shoulders.

They smiled at each other, perhaps one of their first true smiles since the beginning of the games. Aven reached down and brushed the tip of her nose with his lips. If it was meant to tease Klara, she could tell by the echoing pound of her heart that it had worked.

Klara looked to Sahara, still crouched in a small bundle, shaking slightly. The small girl nodded and lifted herself to her feet taking a couple steps before collapsing again. Her bottom lip quivered and she looked utterly defeated.

Without speaking Klara walked over and took her hand and helped Sahara up. She smiled softly, passing on her newly renewed strength to the slender girl. Sahara's hands were cold as ice, but her grasp was firm.

Out of nowhere, Sahara pulled Klara towards her with surprizing strength and Aven jumped back just in time to miss a stray branch falling from the sky.

Klara held her mouth open in awe; the branch would have landed directly on her head. "I'm starting to feel like a hazard."

"If it weren't for you we wouldn't have made it this far in the first place," Sahara nearly whispered.

Aven placed his hand on Klara's shoulder. "She's right, we would have starved by now, don't count yourself out."

Klara smiled, glad to have the allies she did. "So, should we be on our way?"

"Yes, we should," Sahara's sweet voice filled the air.

The trip had seemed longer going back then it had that morning. It was more dance-like as well, dodging falling branches and jumping over logs. Klara's arm throbbed with the jerking movement and her feet screamed, but she refused to sit down until they were safe.

To their joy, when they made their back to the shelter, a little silver parachute was waiting as a gift. Inside they found a long, thin loaf of crusty bread, hot tea in a thermos, steamed vegetables, tender chicken, and all the cups, plates and cutlery they needed. Klara's mouth was practically drooling over the smell of the delicious food; it was a welcome change from squirrels and berries.

The three watched the Capitol's anthem and seal appear in the night sky as they ate a portion of their gift. There were no tributes listed afterward, meaning everyone had survived the tornado.

Klara couldn't help but feel discouraged. "I was hoping that Kyah or Jaxton would have been killed."

"Me too," Aven said.

"Well, they had to have been at least injured, unless the tornado never got close enough to them," Sahara said, mouth full of food.

Aven nodded. "I hope they don't come looking for us." He wiped his mouth on his sleeve and pushed his dirtied plate and mug into the back corner of the outcropping. "You guys should get some sleep; I'll take the first watch."

"Thanks," Sahara and Klara both muttered at the same time, sleep heavy on their eyelids. Shara nudged her way farther into the corner and hunched over, she seemed to be alright sleeping that way. Klara however, layed her head down on Aven's lap and looked up to see his reaction. He smiled, the moonlight highlighting his sharp cheekbones.

_Go to sleep_, he mouthed and Klara obeyed, turning her head back over so it faced out into the arena. Aven ruffled her hair one last time for the day, then meticulously tamed it again, smoothing each section, one by one.

Klara drifted off with his soothing touch.


	11. Sanity

In the morning when the group woke up they were still full from the previous night and had no reason to leave their shelter.

"Well, we could always stay here for a change," Sahara proposed. Klara gestured to her broken arm and declared that lethargy might be nice for a change.

Klara and Aven kept shifting positions, always pressed up against each other, taking turns resting their heads on the other's shoulder or lap. In the morning they listened to the birds wake up, it seemed the animals had survived the tornado.

"Klara," Aven broke the silence. "You can always fall asleep so quickly here, but the noises keep me awake, what's your secret?"

Klara laughed. "Actually, it's a funny story. In the early spring I was returning home when I noticed something lying in the plants at the front of my house. It turns out it was a partridge, dead of course, but I wondered where it came from. I looked up at the house and the window in my bedroom was completely shattered, it looked like someone shot it. When I went inside there was glass all over the floor and the only thing left was the window's screen. I cleaned up the glass, but could never afford to get a new window, so I've been sleeping with my own personal forest sound track ever since. I think it would be weird now to sleep somewhere completely silent."

Sahara looked shocked. "What did you do with the partridge?"

"Oh, we had it for dinner."

"You have some of the strangest stories," Aven said with a grin.

"Well maybe if you lived in the forest they wouldn't seem so strange," Klara returned.

"Are you kidding me?" Aven sat up straighter. "I've seen some of the weirdest things in this forest."

"Oh? Like what?" Klara challenged.

"Oh, you know, just the usual deadly cats, tornados, beautiful girls…"

Klara blushed, smiling.

Sahara chuckled from across the rock. "Not to mention a pair of ooey-gooey teenage lovers," she teased.

The three burst out laughing, not even minding the fact that there might be tributes nearby. The weather was perfect; it seemed like too good a day to die.

When the laughing subsided, Klara leaned her head back on Aven's shoulder then a thought crossed her mind and she started laughing again.

"What?" Aven asked turning so he faced her.

Klara regained her composure, "Oh, I was just thinking, we've probably killed as many tributes as Kyah and Jaxton have, if not more. Look at us! What are the chances?!"

Klara looked directly at Aven and Sahara, with a serious look on her face. It only lasted a couple seconds before all three's lips curled into a smile and they burst into fits of giggling. Klara wondered if it was a completely sane thing to be laughing about, but then again this was the Hunger Games.

Sanity wasn't a requirement.

After they all caught their breaths, Aven stood up to stretch, towering close to Klara.

Sahara was staring curiously at the tall boy. "When we saw Kyah and Jaxton that one time, they each had specialty weapons that they must have got from sponsors. Is there some sort of weapon that you're best with, Aven?"

"Well…" Aven opened his mouth to speak but was hastily silenced by a beeping sound resonating from above. All three shifted out of their hiding spot to go see what the parachute would contain.

Aven got to it first and loosened the strings holding up a long metal case. When he lifted the top, his eyes widened in recognition and excitement.

"What is it?" Klara inquired.

"You were wondering what my signature weapon was?" Aven asked with a hint of a smile. "Well, here it is."

He pulled out a long sword with a thick, razor sharp blade. It was curved inwards at had two sharp prongs at the end that reminded Klara of a snake's tongue.

Sahara let out a low whistle and Klara just stared, the sword was most certainly deadly.

"I guess they talked to my coach back home," Aven stammered. "This is almost identical to the sword I use at the training center."

He slashed it through the air a couple times and weighed it with both hands. Klara could see her eyes reflecting in the blade's shiny surface. Sahara looked shocked, a gift like that would be insanely expensive. Klara just hoped that it didn't drain them of all of their sponsor money.

But with this new weapon came hope. If they had survived this long with only hunting knifes and Klara's knowledge, how well could they do with a sword?

Aven smiled, slinging his backpack over his shoulders. "What do you say we go hunt some Careers?"

* * *

In the early afternoon they arrived at a clearing.

"Do you mind if we sit down for a second?" Sahara asked. "Walking through all this snow is really tiring."

"No problem," Klara replied. "In fact, I was just about to suggest it too."

They all sat down on a fallen tree, chests rising and falling quickly, Klara adjusted her makeshift cast. Suddenly, she heard a loud thump from behind her that made them all jump.

"Ummm… what was that?" Sahara asked.

Klara and Aven both spoke at once. "I don't know…"

Another thump came from in front of them. Aven stood up, pulling out his sword protectively. He took a couple paces into the clearing, then Klara saw a flash of white from the sky and a loud clang echoed through the air as what appeared to be a softball bounced off Aven's sword.

Aven picked up the ball just as soon as a voice boomed from above. "Hello Tributes, congratulations on making it to the final six. In honour of your strength and resilience, we thought we'd give you a break from your constant search for water. However, the form it appears in might be more dangerous than dehydration. That will be the only announcement. Good luck, and may the odds be ever in your favour."

The three looked at each other, exchanging nervous glances until Aven held up the ball. "It's… hail?"

Sahara shot up. "Come on! Come over here!" She ran over under a large tree with many strong, protruding branches. Aven and Klara both ran over.

The tiny girl explained the message frantically. "It's hail, we can melt it for water, but its big enough that if we get hit by it, it could really hurt us us. We're running low on water I think we should collect as much as we can, then meet under this tree and melt it."

"But what if we get hit by it?" Klara asked, concerned.

"Stay under the trees and put your bag on your head, you'll hear the hail hitting any branches on the way down and your bag can soften the blows, should you get hit. I think one of us should stay back here and start a fire, that way if one of us doesn't come back they can go looking for us."

"Good idea," Klara agreed. "Aven, I think you should stay here. You're bigger so you would be more likely to get hit, plus you have your sword for defense."

Aven nodded. "Okay, I'll just cut some wood off one of these trees nearby. Try to be quick."

He fluffed Klara's hair and she slung her bag over her head, it wasn't extremely comfortable, but it would protect her enough.

Klara rounded the corner of the tree, wary of the constant thudding of hail balls all over the ground. She only picked up ones that landed under branches, but was still hit by the occasional ball that bounced off a branch above her.

The hail varied in size from the size of her fist to a golf ball. Klara tried to collect a lot of small ones because they would melt faster over Aven's fire. She moved along in the opposite direction of Sahara, being careful to stand under the few trees with branches left after the tornado.

After a couple minutes, Klara started to notice that the beating of the hail was rather rhythmic and paired well with the saddening destroyed landscape. Then it hit her, _weather, _this year's arena was based on extreme weather.

All of a sudden, Klara heard a hail chunk clattering on above branches. She drove left trying to avoid it, but instead put herself right into its path. The hail landed with extreme force on her broken arm, sending searing pain all throughout Klara's shoulder. She crumpled to the ground, temporarily immobilized in her agony.

When she was able to look up again, Klara checked through her bag and found it was nearly full of the ice. She got to her feet with the assistance of some stray stumps and sticks, then turned around, pain pulsing with every step.

As she was nearing the clearing where Aven was set up, Klara heard rustling that didn't match the pattern of the hail. Instinctively, she crouched down behind a pile of snow, sticks, and rubble that was concealed by a few bushes. She could make out Aven sitting by his fire, also startled by the rustling, getting to his feet and pulling out his sword.

Two figures burst through the trees across from Aven.

Kyah and Jaxton.


	12. Betrayal

Klara froze instantly at the size of the two huge Tributes. Both were just as tall as Aven and had that tanned, muscular look that District 2 was so famous for. They had miraculously managed to stay injury free throughout the arena's many tests.

After they broke through the trees it was Jaxton who noticed Aven first, he nudged Kyah with his elbow. "Well, well, well, we've been looking for you. District four, I'm guessing?"

Aven held his chin high. "You guessed right," he tightened his grip on his sword.

Jaxton paused, his eyes fixed on Aven's blade, then turned to Kyah and lifted an eyebrow. Kyah tilted her head, confused, then recognition flooded her face and she nodded.

Both careers turned to Aven a hunger in their eyes, but it was Jaxton that spoke. "We've been thinking," he took a step forward, "this is a Quarter Quell, the audience is going to be looking for an exciting ending and we want to give it to them."

Aven looked puzzled, he lowered his arm slightly and Jaxton smiled. "Ah, not what you were expecting to hear? Well, this is what I say, the three of us align, get rid of the remaining tributes, then drop our alliance and the last man," he paused and turned to Kyah,"or _woman _standing,wins."

Kyah had just stared at Aven the whole time, sizing him up with a smug look on her face. Her soft, round lips were slightly opened and her intense blue eyes stared into his.

Jaxton raised his arms, his face still smug. "So what do you say? _Brother."_

Aven paused, expressionless, his sword slightly raised.

_Please Aven, do what's right. Fight them! You can win, please._ Klara pleaded in her mind. If Aven teamed up with them, that means they would be coming after her and he wouldn't do that to her, would he?

Jaxton looked impatient. "I suppose if you don't want to join up, we could just kill you now." The boy reached behind his back in an over-animated way and grasped an arrow. The hail had slowed again, probably so that the audience could hear and see what was sure to be a bloody meeting.

Aven finally opened his mouth. "No, I've been waiting to find you too. I've been hoping for a challenge, an alliance that's really worthy of me," he lowered his sword completely and matched Jaxton's arrogant expression. He took a few steps towards the careers, kicking away some stray hail balls then turned towards Kyah, who still hadn't adverted her gaze. "I couldn't turn down that opportunity, could I?"

Then he did something that made Klara's insides curdle, Aven reached up and ruffled Kyah's hair.

It was all Klara could do not to run into the clearing and slap the boy across the face. So it was all for the cameras! Klara thought her and Aven really had something, but now he was just trading her up for the newest model. Not only did Klara feel betrayed, she felt heart broken.

Aven's eyes still were still locked with Kyah's as he sheathed his sword. "Let's have some fun."

Kyah and Aven stood silently for a couple second's, sizing each other up. Jaxton looked pleased, his mouth shaped into a fox-like grin, the huge boy had opened his mouth and was just about to speak until all of a sudden another figure stumbled into the clearing.

Klara's heart broke when her eyes adjusted to see Sahara, who only just noticed Aven's new team mates.

Sahara was breathing rapidly; eye's huge in fear, paralysed. A few notes of gibberish escaped her lips before she tripped, sprawling backwards across the ground.

It was Jaxton who took a step forward. "Why hello there, we've been looking for you."

Sahara's eyes darted back and forth between Aven, Kyah, and Jaxton, pleading and filling with tears.

"Oh, shh, don't worry, there's no need to cry," Jaxton's tone was terrifying. "It'll all be over soon."

He turned around to Kyah who had finally shifted her gaze from Aven, then directed his conversation to Aven. "Would you like this one?"

Klara's cheeks flared with fury. How could Aven do this?! After all the three of them had been through, he was just going to throw it all away? He should fight back, or at least let Sahara run away.

"No," Aven turned back to Kyah. "I'd like to see how good my allies are."

Kyah's eyes were fire. "My pleasure," her voice was filled with venom that matched her intimidating looks perfectly.

Klara noticed her way of walking, it was definitely meant to be seductive. Her hips swayed slightly as she glided, weightless across the snow.

Aven and Jaxton watched her eagerly the entire time, exchanging haughty glances. Klara was furious, her hands clenched into fists and teeth gritted. No doubt there were a few cameras fixed on her reaction to this turn of events.

Sahara was still scrambling, trying to get to her feet, chest pumping in panic. Kyah got down on one knee next to the small girl. "Hi there," Kyah's eyes were wide.

Sahara's gaze was fixed on Aven, still pleading silently for him to come to her aid, but his arrogant look stayed, he wasn't going anywhere.

Kyah leaned down even closer, paused, and whispered eerily. "I'm going to kill you now."

Sahara screamed, kicking and pulling at everything around her, trying to get away.

Kyah clucked her tongue a couple times, scolding the small girl, then with startling speed, brought her heavy boot down on Sahara's thin elbow, letting cracks echo through the clearing.

Klara cringed, she knew what the Sahara was feeling, she had been through similar pain when the tree fell on her.

Sahara's mouth opened wide in another scream, but no noise came out, Klara wanted to run into the clearing and pull Sahara's assailant off of her, but felt frozen in awe of the powerful and blood thirsty careers.

Then, Sahara did something surprising, she pulled out her knife and raked Kyah's face.

Kyah barely had time to react, but unfortunately, her cat-like reflexes still kicked in and Sahara's knife missed her eye, but still made a long slice down her cheek.

Kyah shrieked with rage and lifted her fist, readying it to bring down on Sahara's face.

Just then, a hand landed on Kyah's shoulder, making her jump. It was Jaxton. "Kyah, keep your composure, just end it."

Kyah nodded, embarrassed. "Goodbye, little girl."

She picked up Sahara's knife and plunged it into her abdomen, wiped off her bleeding cheek, splashing blood on Sahara's face and stood up, leaving the Sahara shaking and bleeding out on the ground.

Klara pleaded in her mind for Aven to avenge Sahara, kill the girl who killed his ally, but he did no such thing, instead, he wrapped his arm around Kyah's slender waist and whispered something in her ear.

Kyah squirmed and giggled in a way that made Klara even more angry. Even though the Capitol was watching, she didn't try to contain her fury. The audience was not the important thing right now.

As soon as the careers were out of her sight, Klara raced over to Sahara and kneeled down next to her shaking figure. Sahara's eyes were wide with pain and confusion, it seemed that she too was shocked by Aven's disloyalty.

"Klara," she just barely made out, her voice shaking in panic.

"Don't worry," Klara felt her bottom lip quiver like it always did before she started bawling. "I'm here now, don't worry, you're not alone."

Sahara lifted her hand and it twitched awkwardly, most likely out of pain and fear. "I'm scared."

"That's alright," Klara's words startled her; she didn't know what to say, but the words coming out just felt right. "It's over now, you don't need to worry, you're free."

Sahara's eyes sparkled in the twilight. "I never even got to say goodbye them, my family," she let out a choked sob, her face still beautiful through all her pain and crying.

Klara stroked Sahara's cheek, pushing any misplaced hairs off her forehead then held her hand, she remembered her mother doing this to her when she was sick. "It's okay, they know. They've always loved you," Klara paused; a lump forming in her throat. "I've always loved you."

Silent tears crept down Klara's face, falling into the unmelting snow. All of a sudden Sahara's grip on Klara's hand tightened and her eyes fixed on the cloudless sky. Her chest rose and fell more drastically as she stared into nothing.

Klara didn't know what to do, she caressed Sahara's face, trying to calm her down to no avail, until Sahara locked her eyes with Klara's and her breath slowed.

"Win," was all Sahara said before her breathing stopped all together.

Klara sobbed, what had just happened was so unjust. She had just sat there, didn't go to help the defenseless girl who had been put in danger by Aven's disloyal act. Sahara, so innocent and beautiful had died because of her fear to help the girl. She stood by to watch her death.

She didn't want to live, she didn't deserve it, but if there was anyone who deserved to win less, it was Aven.

And Klara was going to make sure he would lose.


	13. Killer

Sahara's cannon blast was still echoing in her mind and Klara found it hard to stand. Every time she moved pain swept through her, originating from her broken arm. The hail had stopped all together, probably so that Panem could hear Sahara's hushed last words.

Sahara.

Sahara told her to win, it was her dying wish. Klara went over the numbers in her head, there was Aven, Kyah, and Jaxton who would all be very hard to take down, then there was that mysterious girl from District 11. Klara had no idea where she was, if she was injured, or what skills she had, but to make it this far she had to have some sort of a strategy.

"I will win for you," Klara whispered. She wiped her cheeks to get rid of any freezing tears, but wasn't able to stop crying completely, using a neighbouring stump she pulled herself to her feet, and opened her bag.

Inside she had a water bottle that was still almost full and all the food that they had saved from their sponsor gift. Klara smiled, Aven hadn't bothered taking any in his pouch.

The thought of Aven made Klara furious, not only had he agreed to join the careers and hunt down_ her, _but he also stood by and watched Sahara's death and traded in Klara for Kyah. If she wasn't going to win, she at least wanted to be the one to set off his cannon.

Klara looked up to the sky, the day was starting to turn amber and long shadows were cast by the trees. The careers had had a head start on her and were all healthy and uninjured. With her arm slowing her down, Klara would have to leave right away if she planned to catch them before nightfall.

She took a couple steps forward, testing her strength, then remembered Sahara. Should she go back and do something? Eventually she decided no, she would just probably break down again and couldn't risk another weak moment for the sake of her sponsors. All of them would probably leave keep their support with Aven, he had the higher chance of winning now.

Klara tilted her head to the sky and whispered a few words for Sahara, she didn't want the Capitol to hear them, it was personal and sharing it just seemed wrong.

It only took a couple seconds to pick up the career's footprints. The heavy teens sunk in the snow, while Klara floated on top. There was one set of especially prominent footprints that must have belonged to Jaxton, he would be the heaviest and most likely to sink in the frozen terrain.

Klara walked for hours, forgetting any hunger, any pain, just walking, following the footsteps that lead to the promise of killing Aven. Small birds and squirrels danced in the trees around her and for a few moments, Klara felt like she was home.

Until she heard the crack.

Klara whipped around, expecting to see Kyah, cheek sliced and furious, but instead was met by a pair of familiar, glowing eyes.

The mountain lion walked silently towards her, letting out a low growl and licking its chops. Klara backed up nervously, fumbling around for the knife she had packed in her bag.

As she was fumbling around, the cat was getting closer, its green eyes shining with hunger. Its claws pierced the snow with each step, if Klara didn't find her knife soon, her skin would suffer the same fate as the snow.

Time was ticking, the mountain lion was only a couple feet away when Klara finally pulled her knife out thrusting it before her. The blade glinted in the disappearing sunlight, but the cat seemed unaffected.

Klara got to her feet and walked sideways slowly, unsure whether or not to make eye contact with the beast. This was life or death, one wrong move and her body would be the next one shipped home. There was no question that she had an audience, all of Panem would be tuned in to watch the heart-broken girl from seven fight to the death with a cat.

Fight or flight? Fight seemed out of the question.

Klara gulped. "Flight it is."

With all the speed she could muster, Klara sprinted behind a close-by tree just before the cat pounced, claws sinking into the thick trunk and just barely missing Klara's thigh.

Adrenalin coursing, Klara let instinct kick in, she spun from behind the tree, reaching with her knife and made a satisfying slice that reached from the animal's shoulder to its back leg. The cat roared in anger that reminded Klara curiously of when Sahara sliced through Kyah's cheek. Blood poured from the wound, staining the ground scarlet and soaking its honey coat.

Almost instantly it recovered, turning back around to face its assailant, but Klara was one step ahead. She had found a large rock nearby and whipped it at the cat's head with surprising strength for one with only one arm. A crack rang through the air that sent chills down Klara's spine and knocked the cat off its feet.

Quickly, Klara clamped her foot down on the mountain lions jaw to keep it from turning and biting her, then jabbed her knife in its neck and, treating it like a lever, tuned the blade upwards. She had seen the butchers in the market preform this simple stroke many times when they killed their livestock.

Just like that, the cat was dead and Klara was alive.

She _won._

Klara shook in shock of what had just happened, she had been attacked and she had killed her aggressor, if anyone thought she was a long shot to win, they certainly wouldn't now. Sitting before the body of the cat, Klara felt pride. This day had been such a roller coaster of emotions, pride felt almost wrong. It was only that morning that had been cuddling with Aven, happy and worry-free. Now, everything was upside down, she was alone and extremely uncertain of what to do.

The sun had just slipped below the horizon by the time Klara had stood up. The cat's blood had soaked onto the knees of her pants and her elbows. Klara pushed the sickening thought to the back of her mind, focusing on the realization that if she didn't find the careers by nightfall, she would probably lose them, and Aven, forever.

Every step sent shockwaves up her beaten, exhausted body, but Klara walked on, path paved by the silver moonlight.

Step.

_I will kill Aven._

Step.

_I will kill Aven._

Step.

_Aven will die._

Step.

Voices.

Klara stopped dead, ahead she could hear the melodies of three very familiar teenagers, laughing, talking, and… _purring?_

Silently, she moved forward, pushing aside any brush in her way to get a good look into the clearing. Sitting around a small fire were Jaxton, Kyah, and Aven, toying with their weapons and chewing what looked like a very fat rabbit.

Klara's stomach gurgled, she just realized she had forgotten to eat at all, but stayed motionless, Aven's death was too tantalisingly close to think about something so petty as eating.

Aven sat on a log on one side of the fire, Kyah leaning on his shoulder. She had a few pieces of medical tape stuck to her cheek to hold her wound together. Aven's arm was wrapped around her and he was gently rubbing his thumb back and forth next to her cut while she purred affectionately.

_Freak, _Klara couldn't help but think. Kyah's long legs stretched almost all the way to Jaxton on the other side of the fire, who was watching Aven and Kyah with a grin that gave Klara chills. If she was going to attack Aven, she would have to watch out for Jaxton, the brutal tribute would not be easy to take down.

Then a thought crossed Klara's mind, what if Aven had told them about her? What if they were planning to kill her right now? Hopefully he would think she would head back to their previous shelter they had used together and try to find her there.

Even though she was so close to them, Klara was probably the safest she could be.

Out of nowhere, the Capitol's anthem began and the seal appeared, floating in the sky. Sahara's picture followed, suspended weightlessly and glowing. Klara swallowed, it still didn't seem real that the small girl was dead.

When the Capitol's seal vanished and the anthem came to an end, Jaxton let out a loud whoop and Aven wrapped his arm tighter around Kyah.

"Only two to go," he teased, his voice picking up the arrogant and hostile tone careers were famous for very easily. Kyah mumbled something back that made both Jaxton and Aven grin.

"Alright, you two," Jaxton mused, "Tomorrow we hunt the runt from seven, I'll keep watch so you can get some... _sleep_."

Klara turned away, disgusted. How could the Aven she knew turn into one of these beasts?

But she reminded herself that it was alright; she was going to kill him anyways.

Klara looked up to find a completely upturned tree, roots spread out like branches. Snow was piled onn either side, with a small outcropping at the top, perfect for someone of her size to keep a watch on Aven and get some rest at the same time.

Klara nuzzled in, burying her nose in her shirt and nibbling some of her food from before.

She would kill Aven.


	14. Deserving

Katerina crawled along the branch again, her eyes glowing with emerald fire, rivaling the moonlight. It was only the second time Katerina had vistited Klara in her dreams, but it was already more vivid. Katerina stroked mountain lions silken fur, cooing softly. Klara was parylised, frozen in her nightmare, fully aware of what would happen next.

But this time, before Katerina raised her knife, Kyah's joshing voice sailed out.

"I'm going to kill you now."

Klara tried to scream, run, do anything, but it was futile. She was trapped, succumbed to the horror of her nightmare. There was no escape, no escape from her dream, no escape from the arena.

Katerina lifted her knife, holding it up for her and the cat to admire. As she brought it down, Klara readied herself for the inevitable crunch of her bone and flesh but instead was met with the sound of a cannon.

A cannon?

Katerina vanished, evaporated as Klara rejoined the waking world. Yes, that was definitely a cannon and it was close by.

Klara jolted, sprinting for the carreer's camp, God forbid they kill Aven without her. Her arm throbbed with its familiar pain, but Klara pushed away any thoughts.

She reached the clearing, panting with the effort of running through the thick snow. Kyah's once beautiful body lay crumpled over, scored with slices from what could only be a sword. Blood poured from every extent of her, she was dead, the cannon was for her.

Klara's eyes fully adjusted just as another cannon went off. A figure stood by the corner of the clearing, overtop of another.

The standing boy pulled his curved, snake-tongue blade out of Jaxton's lifeless chest.

Aven.

Klara stopped, hatred welling up inside of her. This was her chance, if Aven had been so arrogant to think that he didn't need Kyah and Jaxton to help him win the games, she would prove him wrong. Klara pulled out her knife, poised, and took careful, silent steps towards the boy, who just stood, facing the other way, watching the sun rise.

Halfway there, halfway towards Aven. She kept walking, careful not to shuffle her steps or snap any twigs.

All of a sudden Klara tripped, falling towards the ground, an originating from where her feet previously stood. Kyah's spear, she had tripped over Kyah's spear.

Klara kicked over herself, she just completely ruined her chances of sneaking up on Aven, he had already turned around and was squinting to make out who had been approaching him.

Then he figured it out. "Klara…? Klara!"

Klara stood up, this was her only chance, either she kill him or he kill her. She ran over, forgetting her knife on the ground and punched Aven directly in the nose, sending him falling backwards into the snow.

At that moment, she saw the arrow lodged in his chest.

"Klara…" Aven mumbled, there were tears in his eyes.

Klara felt no sympathy. "I was going to kill you, but now… I think I'm just going to watch."

Aven's breathing was starting to falter, the arrow had punctured his lung. "Klara, I'm so, so sorry."

"Save it."

"I'm sorry for Sahara, and Kyah and everything."

"Stop! You don't get to say sorry!" Klara yelled. "Not after what you did."

"I lied to you," Aven was full out crying now.

Klara laughed. "That's not all you did."

"My father, I told you he died in a work accident, but he wasn't the only one who died. My mother, my baby sister, they were both killed too," It was almost impossible to hear what he was saying, but Klara was listening intently, waiting for her chance to smash down his apology.

Aven continued. "They sent me away to the career training center, I had no one left. I wanted to go into the games to… protect someone… it was going to be Katerina, I had nothing to live for so I thought I'd help someone else, then… Then… I met you."

Klara paused, he was being honest, he knew he was going to die and now he was getting everything off his chest.

"At the academy, there's a lot of girls, bloodthirsty, killing girls. All they care about is the games, winning, being the best. They spend so much of their lives turning themselves into the perfect weapons that they never have a chance to live, do anything important."

Klara's own eyes were starting to well, but still she couldn't find any words.

"I had never met a girl like you. So honest, smart, innocent, trapped in a world of horror like a butterfly in an upturned glass. I wanted to protect you, save you, because I… I loved you… I killed them for you, Kyah and Jaxton, there's only one left now, you can get her, you can win," he was bawling, his strong chest shaking and wracked with sobs.

Klara couldn't move, all of his words were so sincere, so loving, and how did she repay him? Punching him in the face and confessing her hatred? It was all so wrong on her part; there was no way she could ever fix it.

"And… and… and…" Aven could barely breathe now, his seconds were numbered. "And… Sahara… she… I… I had to choose…"

"Shhh," Klara knelt down beside him, putting a finger to his lips, "I know, I understand, you're not a monster, you're… you're… perfect."

She kissed him, their lips connecting with an uncontrollable electricity. Aven's warm skin on hers one last time, one last kiss, one last breath.

And Aven was gone.

Klara's whole body shook with silent tears. Everything she had thought had been wrong, or was it right? Klara didn't know how she felt, it was all twisted, so twisted.

The games were so twisted, and it was about time they were over.

With all her remaining strength she left Aven's body, taking small, pained steps. She reached Kyah's spear and picked it up with her good arm, this weapon would be her best shot at her life. Today was the day she went home, whether it be District 7 or somewhere totally different.

Step.

_I will win for you._

Step.

_I will win for you._

Step.

_I will win for Aven._

There was only one place that where she could find the girl from 11, the only place where she had ever seen her before and it was the water pipe. Klara had a vague idea of where she was going, but it didn't really matter, she would walk until she found it, or something else found her.

Finally the trees broke way to another clearing, Klara squinted, the sun in her eyes, but there was the pump, shining and polished, identical to how it had been before.

_Just a few more steps._ Klara walked, limping on her left side, her broken arm swollen and puffy from all her activity the past few days.

Klara scanned the trees, but found no sign of the girl in purple, so she lifted her hand and slammed her spear against the pipe, making a noise that would echo throughout the whole arena. Over and over, she hit the pipe, until the sound had no meaning, just another noise, just another day.

Before she had a chance to turn around to check behind her, the girl's knife lodged itself in Klara's back. Klara sucked in a breath of pain and turned slowly to face her assailant. There stood the girl in purple, unarmed and scared. She had thrown her knife, now it would come down to using her hands to kill Klara.

Klara just looked at the girl, she was small, about her size, with tanned skin and tanned hair. She was unnaturally thin, certainly because of the games and had sunken eyes the colour of amber. Innocent eyes.

Klara thought back to what Aven had said to her a few days prior, "So innocent, you don't deserve this."

He was right, she didn't deserve this. Neither did Aven, or Sahara. Katerina Bennet didn't deserve it, even Kyah and Jaxton had something to live for, their brutality was just sprung from their upbringing. The helpless little boy from her District had died before his time, completely undeserving of his wretched fate.

The girl from 11 didn't deserve the pain and suffering, she didn't deserve to die.

But it was the Hunger Games after all, fair was never a qualification.

Klara pulled together all of her might, lifted the spear like she had seen Kyah do only once before and threw it, using the momentum from her remaining body weight in her toss.

Mistake. Klara lost her balance and fell forwards towards the water pump.

Her head connected with the metal, making a noise just as loud as the spear had.

She blacked out before she saw where the spear landed.

* * *

**Woah.**

**Yeah, just woah.**

**Don't worry, I'm not done yet :p**

**There will be one more chapter... in about a week :D**

******Enjoy the waiting ;D**


	15. The End

**Did you really think I'd make you wait a week? ;)**

**So here it is, the final chapter. It's in the winner's POV and I hope you enjoy it and have enjoyed the whole story.**

**I present to you... The End**

* * *

I wake up cold from a dreamless sleep. The harsh fluorescent lights make my eyes sting and I'm not sure whether I'm dead or alive.

My chest rises and falls slowly, I can just make it out through the oversized paper hospitol gown they've slipped me in. The arena drained me of all of my previous weight. I'm still overly skinny, but not nearly as whispy as I was those last few days. Pickings had been slim, and sponsors had been few and far between.

The bright side is that I feel no pain except for the pinching sensation in my elbow where my IV fluids drip slowly into me.

Doing a quick look over my skin, I see that it's completely new, as if the capitol had redressed me in a suit of flawless, hair-free flesh. Today is the day I make my first debut in front of the Capitol, even though they've been watching me the past few weeks, they'll still treat me like they know nothing about me.

I know I've changed; I used to be a child, now the world seems so dark, death constantly looming over me. It could happen at any time to any of us, people are fragile, just waiting to be broken. I've seen it happen far too many times for my age.

I should probably move, go find someone, but I know how important I am to them. If I don't show up they'll come find me soon enough.

So I sit, staring into the lights above me until I see spots and my eyes sting, being without constant pain feels so wrong now and the invisible pain I feel inside doesn't seem to be enough to fill the void. I dig my perfect finger nails into my palms until they bleed and I can stain the bedsheets scarlet with my own blood.

There, now the Capitol looks like what it really is, an asylum.

They all come in at once, the happy one, the cocky one, and the quiet one.

The happy one introduces himself with some name I'm vaguely aware I've heard before. He asks why I haven't gotten up yet, but I just grunt, annoyed by his presence. Apparently this is extremely rude, since he holds his mouth open agape, until he sees my palms. Frightened, he asks the quiet one to go get some sort of medicine. The quiet one sets down the bag he was holding and scuttles out of the room in a hurry, his electric blue high heels clattering on the shiny, white floors.

The happy one sits at the foot of my bed, a fake smile still plastered on his cheeks, he goes on for a couple minutes about how excited he's been to meet me, then excuses himself and leaves in search of the quiet one.

The arrogant one just stares at me, her eyes harsh and worn.

"I'm your mentor."

Silence.

"You have your interview today."

More silence.

"Look, I know you want nothing to do with them, but you're not done yet and you have no idea what you're in for."

I blink, she rolls her eyes. "You walk on stage, you smile, watch the video, act superior, answer some questions, say thank you, go home."

I pause, then answer. "I lived, I'm sure I can stand on stage for a couple hours and look pretty."

"Oh so you do have a tounge," she's mad, I can tell. "That's not all it is though. They'll cheer for you, they'll dress like you, they'll applaud at the sight of you killing someone. They think they know you, they'll expect you to be grateful and if you aren't, don't expect them to treat you like they love you. Every nightmare you have, they live for. They will make you wish you never got out of the arena, everything you thought you knew has changed, whether you like it or not."

Unimpressed, I let her continue. "Your life will never be the same, and all you can do about it is smile and look pretty."

She might be right, but I don't want to believe her, I don't want to think. I don't want to do anything, there's nothing left for me, I went through a lifetime of trouble in a few weeks and my life still isn't over. All that's left is pain, mindless, heartless pain.

The happy one comes back in, arm linked with the quiet one. Both sporting very feminine clothing and exaggerated, painted features. They call in a nurse who frowns over my wounds, then spreads on a thick layer of paste that stings delightfully.

The happy one excuses himself and the arrogant one, saying that the quiet one, who's name seems to be Ladish needs to get me dressed for my appearance.

The door slams and Ladish unzips the bag he brought in, pulling out a small scrap of black fabric.

"Um…" he stammers awkwardly, no doubt intimidated by my vicious demeanour.

I stand, pulling the paper sheet off unceremoniously, my naked body staring at me from all directions in the shining walls, floors and ceilings. It's not the same as before I went into the games, everything about me screams monster.

Ladish's high heels give him a couple inches on me as he slips the light, loose fabric over my skin. The dress is jet black, suspended by two thin straps on either shoulder. It reaches just above the knee in a clean-cut hem. Ladish smiles proudly, but I scowl at him in a way that makes his grin vanish instantly, replaced by a look of fear.

He motions for me to lift my arms, and then wraps a jeweled band around my waist. In each reflection the stones shine a different colour, illuminating the room.

Ladish returns to his bag and pulls out a pair of flats covered in the same crystals as my waistband. "I uh, didn't think you'd want to wear high heels…"

He was right, I didn't, but even so, this outfit was getting dangerously girly, I would almost prefer walking on stage naked.

Pushing away those thoughts I nod, ripping the shoes out of his hands and put them on unceremoniously, making sure to flash Ladish, just to make him feel even more uncomfortable.

"I was uh, supposed to do your, um, makeup now," he stammered, fidgeting with his own clothes.

I grunt, signalling for him to get on with it, making sure to glare directly at him as he meticulously cakes on layer after layer of makeup. Eventually he gets too uncomfortable and pulls away, asking me to go down the hall in a few minutes to meet up with the happy one.

He bows slightly then clicks away, leaving his bag behind.

I look at myself again, taking in the whole ordeal now. Even though his personal style is awful, I do have to admit Ladish did a good job on me. The dress did a fine job of stealing the attention from how strikingly thin I was and the belt showed off any curves I had.

My makeup is another glory in itself; dark black encases my eyes and lips, on a canvas of flawless skin. I look gorgeous and completely not like myself, it was perfect for someone who was so suddenly uncertain of who they are.

My shoes swish silently on the floors as I make my way through the unfamiliar halls. When I round the corner I am greeted by the sight of the happy and arrogant one, chatting quietly, waiting by a circular plate.

The happy one gasps when he sees me. "My goodness! Ladish did an amazing job! The Capitol's going to drool over you."

I stare at him with a scowl, how could he not understand how much I didn't care? Above us, an entrancing music starts seeping through the ceiling and the happy one can't hide his excitement. "I just love the Victor's anthem, don't you? They just came up with it this year, it's going to be a new tradition!"

Suddenly a beeping sounds from a strap on his wrist and he cheers with delight. "That's the ten second mark!" he turns towards the arrogant one. "After I go up, count to thirty, then step on the plate, make sure she does the same too."

The happy one steps onto the circle and is lifted up, his smile radiating. As soon as he disappears, cheering echoes from above.

I jump when the arrogant one places her hands on my shoulders. "Don't forget to smile."

She pulls her lips into a mocking grin, then laughs, steps onto the plate, and rises into the cheers.

Thirty seconds and I'd see them, the people who ruined my life. Thirty rapid seconds that were almost gone.

I step on the plate, these interviews were a game in themselves. I try to take a cue from my mentor and plaster on the most realistic smile I can manage.

The plate starts rising, this is it, no turning back. The cheers from the crowd are deafening, but still a few words stand out, booming from the announcer's microphone.

"Ladies and gentlemen of Panem! I present to you for the first time, the winner of the one hundredth Hunger Games, the infamous, the _deadly,_ Klara Hallen!"

Klara, that's right, that's my name. Though, it doesn't feel like my name anymore. Klara was innocent, naïve, now I am so different, Klara feels so distant.

But Klara is who they want to meet.

The audience looks as though they had just been served dinner after starving for months, mouths open agape and hands in the air cheering, begging. At least one third of the females sport my haircut, a messy, pixie style. Suddenly I realize how Ladish hadn't even touched my hair, he probably wanted to make sure all the fans of my signature style would recognize it.

All of a sudden I realize that I've completely lost my illusion of happiness. I had been glaring at the cameras the whole time, not even bothering to step off my plate. Now the host, I think her name is Rouge, is beckoning to me from across the stage, nervous of my stone composure.

I regain my mask and walk over, trying to look bouncy, then shake her hand a take a seat on the couch. For a couple more moments the crowd cheers ecstatically. Rouge tries to calm them down by placing her hand on my knee, signalling the start of the interview, but they just cheered louder.

I wouldn't cheer for myself.

When they finally settled down, Rouge addresses me. "Klara, Klara, Klara, I've waited a long time to talk to you. How does it feel to finally meet the crowd who has been watching you ever so eagerly for the past few weeks?"

I fake a giggle. "I didn't know I had so many fans."

"Oh honey_, everyone's_ been watching you." The crowd cheers again, I can't help but think it was a little creepy.

Without introducing it, the video of the games begins. It would be three hours long and I would have to keep my happy appearance through all of it, then the interview. The cherry on top would be that this would be a mandatory broadcast for all of Panem, everyone would see the bubbly girl from seven.

Right.

They breeze over a photo of each tribute along with their name, starting with the two tributes from district 1 who didn't make it through the first day. Kyah and Jaxton glared ferociously, followed by meek Sahara and her district partner. Aven's name glowed underneath him, the same colour as his eyes immediately after Katerina Bennet, the face I knew I would never forget. After I see my own picture, my hair still long and flowing, I brace myself.

Then there she is, the girl from eleven, my final battle. I advert my eyes at once, but still her name brands itself into the back of my eyes.

Kara Rylie.

Without even thinking, my jaw drops open. Her name is so similar to mine, that at frist glance one would perceive them as the same. Any attempts I would make at forgetting the games would be crushed by the reminder to my final enemy embedded inside my own first name.

I would never forget.

My eyes blur, stop working momentarily, still fixed on the massive screen, but not taking in any of its information.

I would never forget.

A cannon blast brings me back to reality, just as it had inside the games. Different cameras showed the tributes who woke early from their slumber, including me, Kara, and the boy from my district. The cannon shot came from Kara, who was apparently the one who killed both tributes from 1. A few more tributes die before I make it to where Katerina and Aven lay, then the scene unfolds taking up the whole screen.

The video fast forwards to when Aven cuts my hair for me and to my horror it looks very intimate, more so than it was in the arena. The crowd gives some sighs and it's all I can do to keep my composure.

Spread throughout sections of Aven and I are shots of Kara. Her strategy seemed to be to dig a hole. As soon as she had collected ample supplies, she set to work digging a slender tunnel at the base of a tree that was barely noticeable even with the Capitol's high-tech cameras.

The games continue to flash before me, every second digging deeper and deeper into my memories until we meet Sahara. With the video's editing, Sahara seems almost like a daughter to me and Aven. This is only magnified when they play both her and Aven's death scenes in full.

I have to turn away; I know I'll look weak, but not nearly as weak as if I break down again.

Then comes the moment I've been waiting for, the end. I still don't know how I won exactly and even though all of my mind is telling me I should just live with the fact I won, curiosity still wins out and I turn my face to the screen.

Not a sound as I slam my spear against the water pipe.

Gasps and screams when the knife lodges in my back.

Breaths drawn in as I turn and throw the spear.

Sighs as I fall.

The spear lands in Kara's stomach, knocking her to the ground, unable to move. A timer appears at the bottom of the screen, counting the minutes and seconds of how long we both bleed out into the snow.

12 minutes and 39 seconds before a cannon goes off and it's impossible to tell who it is for. 30 more seconds until the announcer proclaims my victory.

Cheers. Singing. Tears of joy.

I had been that close to dying, never having to wake again.

I almost wish I had.

The crowd cheers and I stare blankly at nothing, I am Klara Hallen, winner of the 100th Hunger Games.

My heart is beating and I am alive, but my soul is broken and dead. I am in the custody of the Capitol, an ignorant, cold world. Soon, I will get to go home to thick trees and familiarity of my District. It will not have changed, the people's lives will still be the same, unaffected by my ordeal.

As for my life, I will never get it back.

The snow will never melt

* * *

**...**

**That's it, the end of Klara's story. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I did writing it, I can really see my style developing as the story goes on **

**Thank you so much to all of you who have stuck with the story the whole time, or just read it in some late-night boredom spree ;)**

**I really appreciate all of your reviews and favourites, I never imagined I would finish the story, let alone have actual readers :p**

**And maybe, just maybe, you can expect another Games to follow...**

**Thanks again and I hope you enjoyed my work :)**


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